Harris v. State

The defendant was indicted and convicted for the first degree murder of Flora Dean Polk. Sentence was life imprisonment. Two issues are raised on appeal.

I

Initially the defendant argues that the absence of the trial judge from the courtroom during a portion of the prosecutor's closing argument to the jury requires a reversal of his conviction. The record reveals the following:

"(Whereupon Mr. Littrell made closing statements to the jury on behalf of the State of Alabama and, during Mr. Littrell's closing statements to the jury, the court left the courtroom for a short period of time and the…