Opinion ID: 2311302
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Statements to the Warden

Text: Defendant's claim relating to the admission of the statements made by him to the warden on the night of the incident in question is without substance. We need not and do not decide whether there had been a valid waiver of defendant's fifth amendment rights because as the trial developed the defendant could not have been prejudiced by the admission of the statements. There was ample independent evidence that defendant stabbed the victim so that the admissions of the defendant were not required to make out a prima facie case. Defense counsel in his opening stated that there was no denial that there had been an occurrence and that it was a matter of self-defense. The defendant took the stand and freely admitted that he had stabbed the victim a number of times with a weapon which from his description resembled an ice pick. The fact that defendant stabbed the victim was not therefore a contested issue in the case and there is no possibility that the admission of the statement could have prejudiced the defendant. Exceptions overruled.