State v. Penland

WHICHARD, Justice.

Defendant was tried capitally for the first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree sexual offense, and first-degree kidnapping of Vemice Alford. He was also charged with conspiracy to commit rape and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The jury found defendant guilty on all but the conspiracy charges and recommended a sentence of death for the first-degree murder. The trial court sentenced defendant accordingly on the murder charge and sentenced defendant to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for the rape and sexual offense and to a forty-year term for the…