State of Louisiana v. Leslie C. Thompson

Summary

The court held that the evidence was sufficient to sustain defendant's conviction on Count I, but insufficient to sustain the convictions on 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 reversed the appellate judgment, vacated the convictions and sentences, and remanded for a new trial on Count I.