Simmons v. State

This is an appeal from the Circuit Court of Yazoo County, Mississippi, wherein J. W. Simmons was convicted of the crime of murder and sentenced to be executed in the gas chamber.

March. 19, 1960, Mr. Hugh O’Reilly, hearing a noise in his store a short distance from his home, telephoned a friend, A. D. Hearst, to arm himself and go with him to the store to investigate. Hearst armed himself with a shotgun and called his two sons to arm themselves and go with him to O’Reilly’s store. The sons were left on guard in front of the store. Hearst and 0 ’Reilly, both armed with pistols, entered the back…