State of Louisiana v. Leslie C. Thompson

Summary

The court held that the evidence was sufficient to support Thompson's conviction on Count I but insufficient to support Counts II and III. It further held that the prosecutor's irrelevant reference to race required a mandatory mistrial and that the resulting prejudice was not subject to harmless-error review. The court therefore reversed the court of appeal, vacated the convictions and sentences, and remanded for a new trial on Count I.