Battle v. State

Upon the trial of Reuben Battle, charged with.’ the murder of James Davis, there was a verdict of guilty without a recommendation. * The testimony of the witnesses for the State was to the effect that Battle assassinated Davis. When the State closed its evidence defendant’s counsel announced that he would only contend that the defendant should be recommended to imprisonment for life. The defendant in his statement admitted the assassination, and said he shot Davis because the latter had, several days prior to the homicide, cursed him and threatened to kill him, and he feared such threat would…