VERDICT REACHED: Roommate Romance Murder Retrial - FL v. Eric Robinson - Day Five | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

In a courtroom discussion, a defendant is informed of their right to testify or remain silent, and the advantages and disadvantages of testifying are explained. The defense argues against a principal instruction, presenting cases to support their argument. The judge denies the motion and the defendant decides not to become a witness in their case.

Key Insights

• 💼 The defendant is given the choice to testify or remain silent in their case.
• 😵 Testifying as a witness has advantages, such as presenting one's side of the story, but also disadvantages, such as being subject to cross-examination and having prior convictions exposed.
• 🥶 The defense argued against a principal instruction, claiming there was no evidence to support the involvement of the co-defendant in the murder.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of testifying as a witness in a case?

The advantage of testifying is that the jury gets to hear your side of the story and any information that may be beneficial for you. However, the disadvantage is that the state's witnesses will have the opportunity to cross-examine you, and if you have any prior convictions, the jury will be made aware of them.

Q: What was the motion filed by the defense and why was it denied?

The defense filed a motion to deny a principal instruction, arguing that there was no evidence to suggest that the co-defendant could have been the shooter. The motion was denied because there was no evidence presented during the trial to support the claim that the co-defendant was involved in the murder.

Q: Why did the defense argue against the principal instruction?

The defense argued against the principal instruction because they believed there was no evidence presented during the trial to suggest that the co-defendant could have been the shooter. They cited cases to support their argument and urged the judge to deny the instruction.

Q: Why did the judge deny the defense's motion?

The judge denied the defense's motion because there was no evidence presented during the trial that indicated the involvement of the co-defendant in the murder. The judge agreed with the defense that mere presence at the scene is not sufficient to establish guilt as a principal.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The defendant is informed of their right to testify or remain silent and is provided with the advantages and disadvantages of testifying.

• The defense argues against a principal instruction, citing cases that support their argument.

• The judge denies the motion and the defendant decides not to become a witness in their case.