State v. Kruger

Summary

The Nebraska Supreme Court affirmed Joseph Kruger's convictions for first degree murder and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. It held that the district court acted within its discretion in limiting evidence of the victim's prior abuse, properly refused an unintentional-manslaughter instruction because the jury found an intentional killing, and correctly determined that the evidence was sufficient. The court also rejected or declined to reach Kruger's ineffective-assistance claims because some were conclusively refuted, some were insufficiently assigned or argued, and others required an evidentiary hearing.