State v. Hatfield

McGRAW, Justice:

This is an appeal by the appellant, Robert Ray Hatfield, from a final order of the Circuit Court of Raleigh County sentencing him to a term of life imprisonment as an habitual criminal following his convictions of the crime of abduction with intent to defile. The appellant contends that the abduction statute is unconstitutionally vague and that the trial court erred in denying his motion for separate trials on the underlying offenses. We find merit in the latter assertion, and we reverse the judgment of the circuit court on that ground.

The evidence at trial showed that on June…