State v. Bard

Summary

The court affirmed the defendant's convictions, holding that his challenge to the trial court's failure to sever the murder and protective-order charges was unpreserved because he never moved for severance below. The court also concluded that, even if preserved, the claim lacked merit because the offenses were of the same character, the evidence was cross-admissible, and the trial court's additional references to the absence of a severance motion and substantial prejudice reinforced rather than negated its authority to act sua sponte.