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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowQuestions of whether certain witnesses should have been excused from testifying in a criminal recklessness case for violating a separation of witnesses orders will be considered by a traveling appellate panel Thursday at Munster High School.
The Indiana Court of Appeals panel consisting of Judge Melissa May, Terry Crone and Elizabeth Tavitas will hear the appeal of felony and misdemeanor convictions of criminal recklessness and carrying a handgun without a license in Laketra Spinks v. State of Indiana, 18A-CR-01532.
Laketra Spinks began to argue with her stylist on the quality of her braids while getting her hair done in Indianapolis with her baby and boyfriend in tow. When asked to leave the salon, Spinks pulled a gun from her baby bag and fired the gun at the ceiling. She was charged with Level 5 felony criminal recklessness and Class A misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license.
During trial, Spinks requested that three witnesses be excluded from testifying because they had violated the previously granted separation of witnesses order, but her request and motion for mistrial was denied by the trial court.
On appeal, Spinks argues two things: that the trial court should have excluded the three witnesses from testifying due to the violation of the separation of witnesses order; and that it should have granted Spinks’ motions for mistrial.
The argument will take place Thursday at 12:30 p.m. CST at Munster High School, 8808 Columbia Avenue, Munster.
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