Merritt v. State

Thompson, Justice.

Defendant Carolyn Merritt appeals from the denial of her motion for new trial following her convictions for the murder of Jimmy Merritt and other related crimes.1 After review of the record, we affirm in part and reverse in part.

1. Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, the jury was authorized to find that Merritt shot the victim in the back of the head while he was sitting in his recliner in his home. Merritt and the victim had been married for more than 20 years of what had been a tumultuous relationship. Once, when the victim drank heavily and beat Merritt,…