Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Woman Convicted

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

It didn't take a jury long to determine the fate of an Okolona woman accused of murder.

In fact, the Clark County jury needed only about an hour to reach a verdict, and another half-hour to come to a sentence in the case of Geneva B. Payne.

Payne had been charged in the shooting death of her husband, Rogers, last March.

She was given a $500 fine as punishment for her deed, and given no jail time.

The state, represented by Ninth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan, had tried to get her convicted on the charge of second degree murder in the shooting death of her husband.

Second degree murder carries a penalty of five to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $15,000.

After finding Payne guilty, the jury was given three choices on her sentence: second degree murder; manslaughter, a lesser charge with a penalty of three to 10 years and fine up to $10,000; or not guilty.

The jury heard a 9-1-1 call Payne made to the Clark County Sheriff's Office during testimony Monday, Jan. 24.

The prosecution also called medical examiners and criminal investigators to the stand during Monday's session, resting after they had testified.

Morgan, during closing arguments, said the state had presented its case proving Payne had shot her husband, causing his death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life.

Alan LeVay, Payne's attorney, closed saying she had "taken it" from her husband for 48 years.

He told the jury after she shot him she called 9-1-1 to get him help, but locked him out of the house after the shooting because she still feared him.

The 9-1-1 tape showed the defendant talking to a dispatcher, stating she and her husband had been in a confrontation and she had shot him.

Deputies found the victim dead when they arrived at the scene. He was lying on the front porch of the Payne home in Okolona.

Payne's six children testified on behalf of their mother Tuesday, Jan. 25. They said she had suffered physical and verbal abuse at the hands of their father during the marriage, also telling the court Roger Payne had a mistress.

LeVar, after the guilty verdict on manslaughter had been reached, called two of the Payne children back to the stand to tell the court about their mother's physical condition.

A son and daughter both said their mother has chronic arthritis, asthma, has to use a walker to get around and takes several pills daily, among other problems.

The jury adjourned around 4:35 p.m. Monday to discuss Payne's fate, returning at approximately 5 o'clock with their verdict a $500 fine.