Donnie Maiden, Appellant v. State of Arkansas, Appellee

Summary

The court affirmed Maiden’s capital-murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in limiting impeachment, denying a mistrial after a discovery violation, or managing courtroom proceedings. The court also rejected Maiden’s equal-protection challenge to overlapping murder statutes and declined to reach the merits of his challenge to palm-print expert testimony because the circuit court had ruled only on the timeliness of his motion. Justice Hart, joined by Justice Baker, dissented and would have reversed for a new trial because the undisclosed change in the codefendant’s testimony irreparably prejudiced the defense.