State v. Shoemaker

MEYER, Justice.

On 3 February 1992, defendant, Larry Dale Shoemaker, was indicted for the first-degree murder of Jane Elizabeth Copeland. Defendant was tried noncapitally in the Superior Court, Wilkes County, in June 1992 and was found guilty. The trial court thereafter imposed the mandatory life sentence.

The evidence presented by the State at trial tended to show the following facts and circumstances. On 21 August 1991, shortly after 11:00 p.m., the Wilkes County Sheriffs Department received a call from defendant, notifying them that there had been a shooting. Lieutenant Jeff Hemric responded…