State v. Hamrick

Harshbarger, Justice:

Alberta Hamrick was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter upon her trial in Monongalia County Circuit Court for murdering her six-weeks old son.

Alberta Hamrick, a twenty-six year old woman of very limited intelligence, a poor, uneducated, non-verbal resident of rural West Virginia, lived in a two-room frame house with water, but no bathroom. The house had only recently been occupied by her and her husband. It was a great improvement over their former dwelling because at least the new abode had no great holes in the roof, according to a social worker who attended Mrs.…