State v. Francis

SWOFFORD, Judge.

The appellant (hereafter defendant) was charged in separate indictments with Murder First Degree and with Robbery First Degree, arising from the death by gunshot of Russell Mestdagh, a member of the Kansas City, Missouri police department, during the course of an armed robbery of Traxler’s Pharmacy, 59th and Holmes, Kansas City, Missouri, on January 2, 1975.

The separate indictments were consolidated for trial by agreement of the defense and the state. A jury found the defendant guilty of Murder First Degree and assessed his penalty at life imprisonment. In a separate verdict,…