State v. Brown

HOLMAN, Presiding Judge.

Charged by indictment with murder in the first degree, the defendant, Richard Brown, was found guilty of that offense and his punishment was fixed by the jury at life imprisonment. See §§ 559.010 and 559.030, RSMo 1959, V.A.M.S. Defendant has appealed.

Defendant was jointly indicted with Courtney Lorenzo Beasley, Archie B. Brown (no relative of defendant), and Jimmie Sharp, but prior to trial defendant was granted a severance. Defendant and the others named were charged with killing Vernon Coleman on May 11, 1964, by beating and kicking deceased and striking him with a…