People v. Smith

This is an appeal from a judgment entered by the circuit court of Madison County on a jury verdict against the defendant, Eugene “Pepper” Smith, for the offense of murder and the imposition of a sentence of 14 to 42 years in the penitentiary.

On November 12, 1969, an attempted armed robbery of Louis Knowles took place in the Ridge Package Liquor Store in Alton. The attempt resulted in an exchange of gunfire between Louis Knowles and the perpetrator of the attempted armed robbery. In the course of the exchange of gunfire Louis Knowles was mortally wounded. He died 2Vz weeks thereafter.

The case…