Serandon Starling, Appellant v. State of Arkansas, Appellee

Summary

The court affirmed Starling’s convictions for first-degree murder and committing a terroristic act after concluding that substantial evidence supported the verdicts, the circuit court properly refused a reckless-manslaughter instruction, and the court properly excluded irrelevant evidence concerning the victim’s prior drug activity. The court also declined to reach or consider additional pro se claims because they were either changed on appeal or not preserved below. Justice Hart, joined by Justice Baker, dissented, contending that counsel should not have been permitted to withdraw because several proposed appellate arguments were not frivolous.