Johnson v. State

Carleton Harris, Chief Justice.

Clemons Johnson, appellant herein, was charged with the crime of murder in the first degree. At the conclusion of the State’s evidence, the Pulaski Circuit Court, on its own motion, reduced the charge to second degree murder. The jury returned a verdict finding appellant guilty of the crime of voluntary manslaughter. Johnson subsequently filed a petition under Criminal Procedure Rule 1, asserting various grounds in contending that he had not received a fair trial. Witnesses were subpoenaed, and the court conducted a hearing on the allegations in the petition. At…