State v. Bruton

PARKER, Justice.

Defendants were tried noncapitally on indictments charging them with the first-degree murder of Kurtis Legrant Mobley (“victim”). The jury returned verdicts finding defendant George A. Bruton guilty of first-degree murder and defendant Willie Townsend guilty of second-degree murder. The trial court sentenced defendant Bruton to life imprisonment and defendant Townsend to twenty years’ imprisonment. For the reasons discussed herein, we uphold the convictions and sentences of both defendants.

The evidence tended to show that shortly after midnight on 30 March 1994, the victim and…