Opinion ID: 2817272
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Grave doubt

Text: We conclude the trial court’s decision to deny Ms. Sharp’s motion to suppress and to admit her statements was not harmless error under Brecht and “had substantial influence” on the result. Crease, 189 F.3d at 1193. The untainted evidence against Ms. Sharp included only her vague statement that she had “helped burn,” and Mr. Cornell’s testimony that Ms. Sharp burned Mr. Owen’s belongings out of anger before he was tied up, and knew of Mr. Hollingsworth’s and Mr. Baker’s intention to drag Mr. Owen into the woods and tie him to a tree. This evidence did not establish the extent of her role or her intent. Her involuntary confessional statements, on the other hand, were detailed and probative of her specific role in the crime and her state of mind, and the State’s case against her depended significantly on them. As the Supreme Court said in Fulminante: - 41 - A confession is like no other evidence. Indeed, the defendant’s own confession is probably the most probative and damaging evidence that can be admitted against him. . . . In the case of a coerced confession . . . a reviewing court [must use] extreme caution before determining that the admission of the confession at trial was harmless. 499 U.S. at 296 (quotations omitted). The jury could have interpreted Ms. Sharp’s “Don’t kill him here” statement from the re-enactment video as evidence that she influenced the commission of the crime and knew Mr. Owen would be killed. Further, in the re-enactment video, Ms. Sharp detailed her role in burning Mr. Owen’s belongings, and claimed it was her idea to burn them to destroy evidence of the crime. The jury could have found this evidence showed Ms. Sharp acted with a culpable state of mind and aided in concealing the crime. At trial, the parties paid great time and attention to these statements from the re-enactment video, and both statements featured prominently in opening and closing arguments. Given the State’s repeated reliance on these statements, we are convinced the statements played a large role in the jury’s verdict. Moreover, we are troubled that Ms. Sharp might not have testified if her involuntary confessional statements had been suppressed. By testifying, she exposed herself to cross-examination and admitted that “in a way” it was her idea to burn Mr. Owen’s belongings to destroy evidence of the crime. This damaging admission also could have significantly affected the jury’s verdict. In summary, although Mr. Cornell’s testimony supported the prosecution’s case, we have grave doubt whether the trial court’s erroneous admission of Ms. Sharp’s incriminating statements from the interview, re-enactment, and written statement, and Ms. Sharp’s decision to testify on her behalf to attempt to rebut her involuntary - 42 - confessional statements combined to have substantial and injurious effect or influence in determining the jury’s verdict. Under Brecht, we therefore must grant relief.