Elmore v. Commonwealth

CATINNA, Commissioner.

Lawrence Elmore and Johnny Collins were jointly indicted for the murder of William Ñaman Taylor. The trial court directed the jury to return a verdict finding Johnny Collins not guilty. The jury found Lawrence Elmore guilty of voluntary manslaughter and fixed his punishment at fifteen years’ imprisonment. El-more appeals from the judgment entered upon the jury verdict.

Elmore and Taylor were neighbors, living on Sexton’s Branch of Rockhouse Creek in Letcher County. On Saturday, December 22, 1974, Elmore and Taylor embarked upon a hegira that eventually led to the death of…