Starling v. State

Second degree murder; sentence: fifty years' imprisonment.

The evidence presented clearly established that on September 3, 1979, the appellant shot T.J. Williams twice with a pistol which resulted in Williams's death. There was evidence that the appellant and the deceased had some difficulty earlier that day. There were some words exchanged including a threat on the part of the deceased to kill the appellant with a knife. The appellant walked away from the confrontation.

Later that evening the deceased started back to the appellant's house, but was stopped by a friend, Robert Copeland, and…