State v. Terrovona

Gene Patton told his girlfriend that his stepson, James Terrovona (defendant), had called asking for help with car trouble, and that Patton was leaving to go help him; Patton was later found murdered. The state prosecuted Terrovona for the murder, and the trial court admitted Patton's statement about his intended meeting with Terrovona as the strongest evidence tying Terrovona to the killing. Terrovona was convicted and appealed, arguing the statement was inadmissible hearsay.