State v. Griffin

FRYE, Justice.

The defendant was charged with the first-degree murder of Elbert “Red” Strickland. The State’s evidence tended to show the following:

About 11 a.m. on 21 December 1981 Linda Jacobs, the victim’s sister-in-law, left her car parked at the back door of the furniture store where her brother-in-law worked. Upon returning to her car with Mr. Strickland, Ms. Jacobs saw defendant coming out of the car with her purse. Defendant ran and Strickland chased him. While defendant was running away, the strap on the pocketbook broke and the purse fell to the ground. Defendant shot and killed…