State Court of Appeals upholds Monroe County murder conviction

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The state Court of Appeals upheld a Monroe County murder conviction, involving a sword.

Stanley Pace claimed he had received ineffective counsel from his attorney.

The appeals court denied the claim.

Pace was convicted of first-degree murder in October 2018 and sentenced to life in prison.

The Pell City, Alabama man stabbed Ronny Duke, 43, of Amory, to death in January 2016.

The two men had been drinking all night and got into an argument.

Court documents said Duke started to leave the home where they were and Pace went inside to grab a replica civil war sword.

Duke was found several miles from the crime scene.