Justin Howard Petty v. State of Arkansas

Summary

The court affirmed Petty's first-degree murder conviction and enhanced sentence, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion by denying his initial and renewed mistrial motions. The witness's references to Petty's prior jail confinement were brief, minimally prejudicial, and not intentionally elicited by the State, and the trial court gave a curative instruction that the jury agreed to follow. The court also found no reversible error in its required review of the record.