Kevon Lawless v. Commonwealth of Kentucky

Summary

The Court held that the trial court committed reversible structural error by failing to declare a mistrial after the jury learned that a key prosecution witness had been arrested for allegedly lying under oath. The court's arrest and credibility determination improperly reached the jury, and the limited admonition and juror inquiry did not establish that the taint could be removed. The Court vacated the convictions and remanded; the challenges concerning exclusion of the death penalty and a continuance were moot because the death penalty could not be sought again on retrial.