Adams

After joint trial by jury, a verdict of guilty of first degree murder was rendered against each defendant. Defendants each appeal from the judgments sentencing them to state prison.

On March 1, 1978, the day of the crime, defendants spent most of the day with Rose Lang who was the estranged wife of the victim, Ralph Lang. Rose was living with Hurd; Adams was staying at an adjacent house on the same property.

After drinking beer and driving around, Rose told defendants she was going to see her estranged husband, Ralph. Adams offered to drive her to Ralph’s residence and Hurd accompanied them. Rose knew that each defendant owned a shotgun, but she saw no guns in the car as all three were in the front seat and she did not look in the back seat.

Ralph resided in a house trailer located at a distance of about 30 minutes driving time. Upon arrival, Rose went to the open door and while she was talking to Ralph heard a shot and saw that he had been hit in the right side. Ralph slumped sideways, Adams entered the trailer with a sawed-off shotgun and fired at Ralph inflicting a wound to the face. Adams then moved closer to the victim, placed the shotgun to the right side of his…