James Hedgepath v. Commonwealth of Kentucky

Summary

The court affirmed Hedgepath’s conviction and sentence after concluding that the challenged evidence was properly admitted, the offenses were properly joined, and recorded statements by the victim’s children were properly excluded. The court held that any illegality in obtaining the cell-phone location did not taint later evidence, that the SUV was lawfully seized under the automobile exception, and that the cell-phone search was supported by a sufficiently particular warrant. The court also found no abuse of discretion in denying severance and no error in excluding speculative alternative-perpetrator evidence.