Bowers v. State

Summary

The Supreme Court of Delaware affirmed Alberta Bowers’s convictions and sentence after independently reviewing the record under the applicable appellate standards. It held that Bowers showed no plain error concerning Miranda warnings or the absence of a sua sponte self-defense instruction, and that the Superior Court properly admitted the cell-phone video because the State presented sufficient evidence of authenticity. The Court also concluded that any ineffective-assistance claim could not be considered for the first time on direct appeal.