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King v. State

The defendant shot the mother of his three children after arguing over whether she could properly care for them.

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Kelvin King was convicted of malice murder in connection with the fatal shooting of the mother of his children, Carletta Ford-Scruggs. King challenges the conviction on the bases that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the verdict of guilt and that the trial court erred in refusing to grant a mistrial when the State improperly placed King’s character into evidence. Finding the challenges to be without merit, we affirm.1

The evidence, which included eyewitness testimony, construed in favor of the verdict, shows that on March 19, 1998, Carletta Ford-Scruggs sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Prior to marrying, Ford-Scruggs was involved in a long-term relationship with Kelvin King, in which the couple had three children. On the evening of March 19,1998, Ford-Scruggs and her two young daughters were visiting a friend, Knox, when King telephoned the apartment looking for Ford-Scruggs. Shortly thereafter, King arrived at the apartment. The adults sat and talked for awhile about past events and then King and Ford-Scruggs discussed the future of the children and whether Ford-Scruggs could properly care for them. King “started to get mad” and “started talking all crazy and stuff.” King raised his voice, and began “cursing, talking about the ‘B’ word, that he’ll shoot Ford-Scruggs in the head.” King and Ford-Scruggs both stood up, and King pushed Ford-Scruggs. He then pulled a pistol from the front of his pants, and held the pistol to Ford-Scruggs’s head, warning her “I will kill you.” Moments later he shot her.

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