Opinion ID: 864434
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶2. At approximately 4:30 a.m., on January 8, 2000, John Rogers, a Grenada, Mississippi, businessman, was robbed and murdered in Grenada. Rogers and his family owned and operated several businesses in Grenada, including a convenience store, check cashing business, a tax service and service station. That morning, Rogers picked up an employee, Ms. Willie Mae Norwood. They arrived at his business, “The Little Widget,” and Rogers was shot and killed as he exited his vehicle. Rosenthall and James Pickens then took Rogers’s briefcase, which contained more than $20,000, some business records, credit cards, food stamps, food stamp stubs, and other assorted items. Although Norwood saw the entire incident and was unharmed, she was unable to identify the assailants. She died of natural causes prior to the Rosenthall trial. ¶3. The evidence presented by the State sufficiently established the actions of Rosenthall and Pickens, the alleged co-defendant. Rosenthall and Pickens conspired to ambush Rogers and rob him. Pursuant to this plan, Rosenthall and Pickens laid in wait on the night before Rogers was killed. Rosenthall was armed with a shotgun at that time, but when he saw Rogers and attempted to fire, the shotgun misfired. On the following night, in the early hours of January 8, 2000, Rosenthall and Pickens again attempted to execute their plan. This time, Rosenthall was armed with a nine millimeter weapon. Rosenthall fired three shots killing Rogers.