Hensley v. Commonwealth

STEWART, Chief Justice.

John Henry Hensley and Garfield Hensley were jointly indicted by the Knox County grand- jury for the wilful murder of James Gray. The second count of the indictment alleged a conspiracy to commit the same crime. John Henry entered a plea of guilty and the jury fixed his punishment at confinement in the penitentiary for life. Garfield, seventeen years of age, pleaded not guilty, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and given twenty-one years. From this judgment he appeals.

Appellant’s principal contention for reversal is that the lower court should have peremptorily…