By Ray King
The Arkansas Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected arguments from a Pine Bluff man who alleged that Circuit Judge Alex Guynn erred when he denied the man’s motion for a directed verdict on a charge of aggravated robbery.
Carlton Farris, 30, was convicted of aggravated robbery and theft of property stemming from the Feb. 15, 2019 robbery of parole officer Sharron Lay who was shopping at Ollie’s Outlet in the Jefferson Square Shopping Center. Farris attacked Lay and took her purse, which contained a Glock 43 nine-millimeter handgun and Lay chased Farris until he pointed the gun at her. A jury sentenced him to 50 years in prison.
Farris was arrested at the Taco Bell located across the street from Jefferson Square.
Lay had a concealed carry permit and the gun was on a concealed carry purse at the time of the incident.
In his appeal, Farris admitted that be robbed Lay but claimed that there was insufficient evidence to show that he was armed with a deadly weapon during the robbery or while resisting arrest afterward.
In the court ruling, Judge Raymond Abramson said evidence to support the robbery conviction included testimony from Lay that she ended the chase when Farris pulled the stolen gun out of the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt and pointed it t her. She also testified that she knew the gun was loaded and was close enough to see Farris’ finger on the trigger. She also knew the police were close and were responding.
Those factors substantiated Guynn’s ruling denying the directed verdict motion by Farris’s attorney.
Farris will be eligible to apply for parole in 2050.
