Layne v. Commonwealth

MOREMEN, Justice.

Appellant, Jessie Layne, was indicted for the willful murder of Dave Coleman and convicted of manslaughter. He was given a sentence of 15 years in the penitentiary.

Appellant urges as grounds for reversal: ■(1) appellant was entitled to a directed verdict; (2) the instructions were erroneous; (3) incompetent evidence was introduced, and (4) argument of special counsel was improper.

On the night of August 3, 1951, Dave ‘Coleman and John Maynard, deputy sheriffs of Pike County, and Hubert Stevens, deputy marshal of the city of Phelps, were in attendance at the police court of…