State v. Tucker

LeBLANC, Judge.

Defendant, Jerry Wayne Tucker, Jr., was charged by grand jury indictment with the first degree murder of Ms. Frances Shelby Tucker, a violation of La.R.S. 14:30. Defendant entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. On the day trial was scheduled to begin, the state formally amended the indictment to a reduced charge of second degree murder, a violation of La.R.S. 14:30.1. Defendant pled not guilty to this reduced charge and, after trial by jury, was found guilty of the charge. The trial court sentenced defendant to imprisonment at hard labor for life without benefit of parole,…