Briley v. Commonwealth

Linwood Earl Briley was convicted by a jury on all counts of an indictment charging rape, robbery, three counts of first degree murder, and five counts of use of a firearm. Confirming the verdict, the trial court entered final judgment January 12, 1980 fixing punishment at five life sentences for the rape, robbery, and murder convictions and five one-year sentences for the firearm convictions.

We granted an appeal to consider the defendant’s contention that he had been denied trial by an impartial jury because the trial court had seated two veniremen he had challenged for cause.

The trial court…