Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
Table of Contents
Criminal Procedure
Indictment & Pleading Issues
Evidence
Arrest, Search, and Investigation
Criminal Offenses
Drug Offenses
State v. Williams, 363 N.C. 689 (Dec. 11, 2009)
A judge who did not preside over the guilt phase of a capital trial had jurisdiction to preside over the penalty phase. The first judge had declared a mistrial as to the penalty phase after the defendant attacked one of his lawyers and both counsel were allowed to withdraw. The fact that the original guilt phase jury did not hear the penalty phase when it was re-tried after the mistrial did not create a jurisdictional issue. A death sentence imposed after the re-trial of the penalty phase was not out-of-session or out-of-term.