Marlin Dval Stevenson v. State of Arkansas

Summary

The court affirmed Stevenson’s first-degree-murder conviction and life sentence, holding that substantial evidence supported the verdict and that the circuit court properly denied suppression, mistrial, and evidentiary motions. The court concluded that Stevenson reinitiated contact after invoking counsel, that the State’s opening reference to that invocation was not prejudicial under the circumstances, that prior knife-related acts were independently relevant to intent, and that the knife-box cast was admissible. Justices Hart and Baker dissented, contending that the confession and prior-act evidence required reversal, with Justice Hart also challenging the knife cast.