State v. Thomas

TITUS, Presiding Judge.

Defendant was charged with the May 16, 1977, “capital”, murder of Phillip J. Frazier in Cedar County. Following a change of venue, a Jasper County jury on May 16, 1978, found him guilty and assessed punishment at life imprisonment without eligibility for probation or parole until he had served a minimum of fifty years of his sentence. 1

Near midnight of May 15,1977, four armed young men, i. e., Richard Johnson, Walter “Wickie” Olinghouse, Dewaine Thomas and his brother Danny Thomas (the defendant) went to the Frazier residence intent on robbery. After forcing their way…