Thompson v. State

The appellant, Joe Louis Thompson, was jointly indicted with Tolbert McKenzie, Jr., in the Circuit Court of Newton County for the murder of J. Z. Jones. The ap pellant was tried separately, convicted, and sentenced to death. From this judgment he appeals.

The record discloses that the appellant and McKenzie, on December 24,1956, about 1:30 o ’clock A.M., each armed with a shotgun and wearing masks, entered the Colonial Cafe located about two miles east of Newton on U. S. Highway 80, and robbed J. Z. Jones, the owner of the cafe. While the robbery was being carried out, the robbers were…