Opinion ID: 1577692
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Appellant was convicted of the murder of Bess Horton. During the early morning hours of August 19, 1993, two Grayson police officers responded to a call from the duplex apartment of Elmer Pritchard. Pritchard rented the apartment from Bess Horton, whose own single-family home was located nearby. When Officers Lindeman and Green arrived in the area, they noticed a light on at Horton's home and the garage door open. The storm window on the front porch had been removed and the window was open. The doors were locked and Lindeman went through the open window into Horton's bedroom. Inside, he found Horton's body lying on the bed. Her throat had been slashed and a knife had been buried into her right temple. He also found Appellant in the bedroom. In his possession, he had a small knife, some jewelry, and other items belonging to Horton. The knife, a small butter knife, had a broken tip. At trial, the Commonwealth argued Appellant used this knife to remove screws from a storm window at Horton's house. Appellant was arrested at the scene but denied killing Horton. According to Appellant, he had been drinking heavily and consuming horse tranquilizers throughout the afternoon of August 18, 1993. He was accompanied by his girlfriend, Minnie Burton; Phyllis Berry; and other friends. After driving around Carter and Boyd Counties for several hours, Burton and Appellant returned to Grayson and headed for Appellant's mother's apartment. They continued drinking with Appellant's brother, John Fields, who also lived at the apartment. Eventually, Burton and Appellant began fighting and Appellant started throwing furniture, knives, and other objects around the living room. Burton left, stating that she was going to her own residence. She also lived in the duplex owned by Horton and occupied by Pritchard. The testimony concerning what transpired after this point was conflicting. Burton testified that she left the apartment because Appellant's behavior scared her. She headed towards her duplex apartment on Horton's property, but was unable to gain entry. Pritchard had locked the door because Horton was in the process of evicting Burton. Burton had lived rent-free in the duplex in exchange for running Horton's errands and chauffeuring her. The relationship had turned sour, however, and Horton had turned off the power and water in the duplex in an attempt to force Burton out. Thus, on the evening of August 18th, Burton was unable to gain entry into her apartment. In light of this circumstance, Burton testified that she sat on the front porch of the duplex. Appellant arrived some time later with a knife in his hand and was making a loud commotion. He told Burton that he had killed his brother, John, though Burton also testified that she did not fully believe the claim (in fact, Appellant had not killed his brother). He then took Burton's keys and told her that he would get into the duplex, implying that he might break in. Burton left, leaving through the backyard of the duplex as Appellant went around the side to the front door. Unbeknownst to either Burton or Appellant, Elmer Pritchard had heard the noise outside and had called the police. Burton testified that she went to the nearby home of her aunt and uncle, Bernice and Kenny Floyd, and told them about Appellant's claim that he had killed his brother. She used their telephone to call Phyllis Berry, but did not get through. She departed the Floyds' house and walked to the home of Mary Click, where she encountered her cousin, Kim Mayle. Mayle drove Burton back to Appellant's mother's apartment to see if John Fields was alright. Finding no one home, they returned to Click's house. Burton slept there until the next morning when police arrived to question her. According to Appellant, he left the duplex and walked over to Horton's home to look for Burton. Appellant told police that Burton was angry with Horton for evicting her and that she wanted to rob her. Appellant claimed that when he arrived at Horton's residence, he saw the open window and entered the house through that opening. The bedroom had already been ransacked, so he began pocketing anything he could find. Appellant claims that he did not notice Horton's body on the bed until police arrived. Appellant was tried before a Rowan Circuit Court jury and found guilty of murder and burglary. He was sentenced to death. On direct appeal, this Court reversed the judgment. See Fields v. Commonwealth, 12 S.W.3d 275 (Ky.2000). Appellant was retried upon change of venue to the Floyd Circuit Court. He was again convicted of murder and first-degree burglary and sentenced to death. It is from that judgment that he now appeals as a matter of right.