Coca v. State

Defendant was charged jointly with two others, Lujan and Borrego, with second-degree murder for the killing of Scott Lyle Nelson, was separately tried, was convicted by a jury of manslaughter, and has appealed. The basic facts relating to the death of Nelson are: On August 16, 1965, the three defendants and deceased were at a crowded dance at the National Guard Armory in Laramie. Nelson died following altercations in the armory with the three accused between 11 and 12 p.m. Borrego admitted having struck Nelson in the jaw, and Wilford Candelaria, a person not charged, admitted having kicked…