Burnett v. State

BOOKOUT, Judge.

First degree murder; sentence: life imprisonment.

On January 11, 1976, a Winston County Deputy Sheriff, Dennis Rowe, was shot to death while acting in the line of duty. Officer Chuck Thompson, the slain officer’s partner, and Wendell Selvidge, an apparent bootlegging partner of the appellant, were eyewitnesses to the shooting. They testified that the appellant shot Officer Rowe without warning while Rowe had his hands in his pockets. The appellant took the stand in his own defense and claimed that someone standing behind him fired the shot that killed Rowe. Suffice it to say…