Stone v. State

Christopher Ray Stone was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. A timely notice of appeal was filed by his attorneys, Frank Shaw and F.N. “Buddy” Troxell, yet they failed to file a brief on Stone’s behalf with this Court, despite having been granted appropriate extensions of time to do so. By per curiam order of this Court, dated January 3, 1995, a Master was appointed to conduct a hearing and make findings of fact as to whether Mr. Shaw and Mr. Troxell had a meritorious defense to their failure to file a brief as prescribed by Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 4-3.

The Master…