Scott

I. Facts and Procedural History

This case stems from the premeditated murder of a four- year-old named Christopher Milke. Christopher’s mother, Debra Milke, her roommate James Styers, and Styers’s friend, Roger Scott, were each tried separately for first-degree mur- der, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, and child abuse. All were convicted.

At Scott’s trial, he was represented by Roland Steinle. The State’s theory of the case was that Scott, Styers, and Debra Milke planned to kill Christopher to claim $5,000 from a life insurance policy covering Christopher, which Debra had taken out through her work. Scott was to receive $250. Scott testified during trial that he was only a dupe, lured into help- ing his friend Styers after the fact. However, Scott had given a full confession to the police of his own role in the planning and execution of the kidnapping and murder of Christopher. Scott confessed he drove with Styers and Christopher out into SCOTT v. SCHRIRO 6547 the desert, where Styers shot Christopher. Scott led the police to Christopher’s body, the firearm used to kill Christopher (which was in Scott’s closet), and a pair of bloody shoes…