Helms v. State

Billy Helms was indicted for the first degree robbery of one Novel Peoples in violation of § 13A-8-41, Code of Alabama, 1975. The jury returned a verdict of "guilty as charged" and, following a sentencing hearing, the trial judge fixed punishment at life imprisonment without the benefit of parole, pursuant to the Habitual Felony Offender Act.

This cause arose out of an incident which occurred on October 19, 1982, at Peoples' Grocery in Dothan, Alabama. Novel Peoples, the owner/operator of Peoples' Grocery, testified that the appellant came into her store on the day in question at approximately…