# Harrison v. State

> Indiana Supreme Court · January 4, 1995 · 644 N.E.2d 1243

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9726264

## Case

- **Full name:** James P. HARRISON, Appellant, (Defendant Below), v. STATE of Indiana, Appellee, (Plaintiff Below)
- **Court:** Indiana Supreme Court
- **Decided:** January 4, 1995
- **Citations:** 644 N.E.2d 1243; 1995 Ind. LEXIS 7; 1995 WL 3412
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Concurrence by Shepard
- **Judges:** Sullivan, Debruler, Givan, Dickson, Shepard
- **Cited by:** 114 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- **Red flag:** Superseded on other grounds by Allen v. State, 2000 Ind. LEXIS 1075 (2000).
- Negative treatments: 1
- Distinguished by: 0
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9726264

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- holding that “[p]sychiatry is an extremely uncertain field dealing with the mysteries of the human mind where expert opinions can be expected to and do differ widely”
- noting that a statute in conflict with the Rules of Evidence is invalid
- noting a capital sentencing statement must include, among other things, "the trial court's personal conclusion that the sentence is appropriate punishment for this offender and this crime"
- holding as irrelevant a seven-sentence victim impact statement by deceased's uncle concerning the impact of the murder on the family

## Opinion text

SHEPARD, Chief Justice,
concurring in result.
I join in all of the Court's opinion save for the declaration that the trial judge committed error by allowing Stacy Forsee's uncle to tell the jury about the impact of these grisly murders on the family. Indiana is not a safer place, or a place of greater justice, by virtue of the Court's declaration that what such victims have to say is "irrelevant."

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9726264. Public record. Not legal advice.