Griggs v. State

Appellant Tommy Lee Griggs was convicted of murder and statutory rape. He was sentenced to death for murder and 20 years consecutive for statutory rape, and appeals.

1. The evidence presented by the state showed that this 19-year-old appellant raped a 10-year-old female and then stabbed and choked her to death. Appellant admitted having sex with the victim and recalls standing over the victim with a knife and seeing her lying on the ground. Medical testimony showed that the victim was alive when she was stabbed several times and alive when strangled. The cause of death was strangulation…