Hemphill v. Commonwealth

DAVIS, Commissioner.

Parker Hemphill was convicted of voluntary manslaughter by the Knox Circuit Court for the slaying of Jim Smith, a police officer of Barbourville. He appeals, seeking reversal of the conviction and consequent sentence of 21 years’ imprisonment.

Appellant submits five separate grounds for reversal. It is our conclusion that the judgment must be reversed for error in the court’s instructions to the jury, hence, we omit a list of other claimed errors.

The homicide occurred in the front yard of appellant’s residence in Barbourville about 10 p. m. in July, 1962. The prosecution’s…