Johnson v. Commonwealth

The defendant, Julius Johnson, shot and killed Buddy Walters. He claimed the shooting was accidental. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder, fixed his punishment at fifteen years in the penitentiary and he was sentenced accordingly. He contends here that the evidence did not *851support the verdict and that error was committed in giving instructions.

Johnson and Walters both worked for a coal company in Buchanan county. There was no evidence of any prior trouble between them. On a Saturday night in October, 1947, Walters, together with Clifford Lovell, was at the home of Albert Matney when…