Lamp v. State

Sidney Lamp was indicted and tried for the murder of Clifton Powell by shooting him with a pistol. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to the mercy of the court, and he was accordingly sentenced to the penitentiary for life. He filed a motion for new trial on the usual general grounds and five special grounds, which motion was overruled, and he excepted.

Ground two of the amended motion for new trial complains of the following charge of the court: “Mutual combat is a mutual purpose or intent on the part of the parties engaged to fight. It is a question for the jury to…