This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

Sparks (D) was charged with two felony murders. Before his case came to trial, two other persons were tried for the same murders. One was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, and the other was acquitted. Concerned about possible inconsistent verdicts, and applying the doctrine of nonmutual collateral estoppel the superior court ruled that those verdicts prohibit the prosecution from trying D for a crime greater than voluntary manslaughter. The Court of Appeals set aside this holding. This appeal resulted.

The legal issues presented in this case will be displayed here.

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Legal analysis from Dean's Law Dictionary will be displayed here.