Rice v. State

BARRON, Judge.

Appellant was charged with theft in the first degree in violation of Ala.Code § 13A-8-3 (1975). He pleaded not guilty and was convicted in the Circuit Court of Walker County on September 18, 1981. Appellant was sentenced to a term of 45 years in the State penitentiary. This appeal followed that conviction.

On the first week in March, 1980, appellant leased a trailer designed for transporting heavy machinery from a rental firm in Jasper, Alabama. During that same week, the City of Jasper, Alabama reported a $40,000 1972 model Caterpillar tractor-loader stolen.

A week later, this…