State v. King, 316 Neb. 991

Nolan M. King was convicted of manslaughter and use of a deadly weapon (not a firearm) after causing the death of Rodney Pettit II during a bar altercation in Omaha, Nebraska in 2022.
King confronted Pettit after learning Pettit had made contact with King’s girlfriend; King subsequently attacked Pettit, who died from blunt force head injuries.
The prosecution charged King with second degree murder and use of a deadly weapon; a jury ultimately convicted him of the lesser offense of manslaughter and use of a deadly weapon.
At trial, King's objections included the late endorsement of state witnesses, admission of evidence regarding Pettit’s toxicology report, and the sufficiency of evidence that a bottle was used as a weapon.
King was sentenced to nearly 20 years for each count, to be served consecutively, and appealed on multiple grounds, including procedural, evidentiary, and sentencing issues.

Issue	King's Argument	State's Argument	Held
Late Witness Endorsement	Endorsement <30 days pre-trial violated § 29-1602; prejudicial	Statute gives trial court discretion; no prejudice, no continuance	No abuse of discretion; statute gives court discretion
Toxicology Report (Motion in Limine)	Prohibiting inquiry into toxicology report was error	Report irrelevant to cause of death; would be prejudicial	No trial offer/proof, not preserved for review
Sufficiency: Use of Deadly Weapon	Insufficient evidence King used a bottle as a weapon	Witnesses & evidence supported conviction for bottle use	Evidence sufficient for rational trier of fact
Sentencing	Sentences violated § 83-1,110, were excessive	Sentences within statutory limits, mitigating factors considered	No abuse of discretion; sentences affirmed