State v. Whitfield

CRIST, Judge.

Jury conviction for second degree murder, for which defendant was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. We affirm.

Victim, a sixteen year old, 175 pound youth, and two other companions were walking down a St. Louis street when approximately fifteen youths engaged victim in a very brief scuffle. Victim’s companions were content to watch. Victim did okay for himself, and was in the act of withdrawing from the affray when defendant produced a sawed-off shotgun and killed him. Defendant admitted killing victim, but said he did so in self-defense claiming victim also had a sawed-off…