State v. Porter

November 8, 1946, in Butler County, defendant shot and killed Russell Leslie, and was charged with murder in the first degree. The venue was changed to Ripley County where he was, on April 14, 1947, convicted of murder in the second degree and his punishment fixed by the jury at 10 years imprisonment in the penitentiary. Motion for a new trial was filed and overruled and defendant appealed.

Defendant is a tenant farmer and at the time of the homicide resided on a farm in New Madrid County, a short distance east of Malden, and according to his neighbors, he bore a good reputation. At the time…