State v. . West

Criminal prosecution tried upon indictment charging the defendant with the felonious slaying of one Walter Johnson.

The State's evidence tends to show that Walter Johnson, a man 64 years of age and small of stature, weighing about 120 pounds, was mortally wounded on the morning of 22 January, 1948, in his filling station located between Wallace and Harrell's Store, in Duplin County, N.C. His skull was crushed, his face cut and he died without regaining consciousness. The deceased, prior to his death had been suffering with rheumatism in his right arm, to such an extent that many of his…