Otis Phillips, Defendant Below, Appellant v. State of Delaware, Plaintiff Below, Appellee

Summary

The court affirmed Otis Phillips's convictions, rejecting his challenges to joinder, hearsay and confrontation evidence, a witness's reference to his ability to testify, a jury instruction, and the claimed speedy-trial violation. It held that the trial court acted within its discretion in denying severance, admitting the challenged statements, admitting the unavailable witness's identification under forfeiture by wrongdoing, denying a mistrial, and responding to the jury note. The court nevertheless vacated the death sentence because the governing capital-sentencing procedure was unconstitutional and remanded for resentencing to natural life without probation or parole.