Shorts v. State

The appellant was indicted and convicted for the murder of his wife, Florence Thomas Shorts, by stabbing her with a knife in violation of Alabama Code § 13A-6-2 (Supp. 1977). The trial court fixed his punishment at life in the state penitentiary. At arraignment, in the presence of counsel, appellant pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. Appellant is represented on this appeal by court-appointed counsel, who represented him at trial, and has been furnished with a free transcript.

The evidence was uncontroverted that appellant murdered his wife by stabbing her some forty times…