State v. Sistrunk

Defendant-appellant Ernest Cottress (also known as Cottrell) was charged with burglary in the first degree, petit larceny and battery. The State’s case was that Price burglarized the safe at Albertson’s on Fairview Avenue in Boise and that his accomplices, Sistrunk and Cottress, came to his defense in fighting off an employee who intervened to prevent Price from making away with the money. Sistrunk and Cot-tress portrayed themselves as innocent bystanders who saw a stranger beating up their friend Price. Price entered a plea of guilty to the petit larceny charge just as the case against all…