Blecha v. People
Supreme Court of Colorado
962 P.2d 931 (1998)
Relevant factsFree
Prison inmates Blecha, Younger, and Green (defendants) were separately tried for conspiring to murder fellow inmate Shettler. Eyewitness Bates testified at Blecha's trial that, shortly after the murder, Younger threatened him and told him to stay silent. The trial court admitted Younger's statements under the coconspirator hearsay exception, and Blecha was convicted; an appellate court affirmed, and Blecha appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court.
IssueFree
Whether a coconspirator's statement made after the crime is committed is admissible under the hearsay exception for coconspirator statements only if the conspirators expressly agreed to continue acting together to conceal the crime.