Legal conclusions in detective’s testimony

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Court of Appeals ruled that a trial court erred when it allowed a detective to testify about the legal implications of a criminal defendant’s fatal shooting of a victim. His testimony classified the victim’s action as criminal mischief and he advised the jury that a perfect self-defense instruction would not apply; these inadmissible legal conclusions may have affected the jury’s decision, so the case is remanded for a fair trial.