Champ v. State

Summary

The court held that the evidence was sufficient to support Champ’s murder and firearm convictions. It also held that several jury-selection bench conferences involved critical proceedings at which Champ had a constitutional right to be present, but the record did not establish whether he knowingly acquiesced to his absences. Because the claim was raised for the first time on appeal, the court affirmed the convictions insofar as their evidentiary sufficiency was concerned, vacated the judgment in part, and remanded for a factual hearing and initial ruling on acquiescence.