Smith v. Commonwealth

STERNBERG, Justice.

On July 1, 1978, Ronnie Jarvis was killed by three blasts from a .20-gauge shotgun. The shooting took place on a little-used strip mine road, about four miles west of Greenville, Kentucky. On August 16, 1978, the appellant was indicted for having “committed capital murder by shooting and killing Ronnie Jarvis with a shotgun for profit or for hire and during the course of robbing said Ronnie Jarvis.” Ricky Simms likewise was indicted for the same offense; however, he confessed to his part in the act and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. After a four-day trial a jury found…