State v. Wilson

FRYE, Justice.

After a thorough review of the record and all the assignments of error made by defendant, we find no error in the guilt phase of the trial. Because we find error in the sentencing phase, we vacate defendant’s sentence of death and remand to the trial court for a new sentencing hearing.

Upon pleas of not guilty, defendant was tried by jury on indictments charging murder and first degree kidnapping of Larry Grant Walker.

The State’s evidence tended to show that Dr. A. J. Coppridge, a Durham doctor, owned a farm in Person County and that he had discovered that someone had broken into…