A jury sentenced a man to life in prison as a habitual criminal after he was convicted of shoplifting $10.35 worth of brisket.
Merwyn Willis Nichols, 49, who had eight previous felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions, was sentenced Monday under the state's habitual criminal statute. The theft occurred last November."I guess they figured enough is enough," prosecutor Troy Johnson said of the jurors. "You can only give a guy so many chances. You have to draw the line somewhere and they drew the line."
It took jurors only 45 minutes to decide punishment.