Smith v. Commonwealth

STERNBERG, Justice.

Appellant was indicted by the Jackson County Grand Jury on a charge of murder (KRS 507.020) in the death of his wife on July 13, 1976. He was tried and convicted on October 27, 1976, and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. Hence, this appeal.

It appears to be the theory of the Commonwealth that appellant and his wife went to the old Smith farm, where he killed his wife in the hopes of recovering $10,000 in insurance with which he could repurchase his ancestral farm, which had recently been sold.

Appellant contends that the trial court erred, (1) in not directing a verdict of…