Case Title: Howard v. Alabama

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1090763

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2011-10-21T00:00:00Z

Document:
R e l : 10/21/2011 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2011-2012 
1090763 
Ex p a r t e S t a t e o f 
Alabama 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE 
COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
(In r e : Sean T r a v i s Howard 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama) 
(Montgomery C i r c u i t Court, CC-08-353; 
Court o f C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-08-1115) 
PARKER, 
J u s t i c e . 
The S t a t e p e t i t i o n e d t h i s C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i 
t o r e v i e w t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' 
d e c i s i o n r e v e r s i n g 
1090763 
Sean T r a v i s Howard's c r i m i n a l c o n v i c t i o n b a s e d on t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s f a i l u r e t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on m a n s l a u g h t e r as a l e s s e r 
o f f e n s e t o c a p i t a l m u r d e r , t h e o f f e n s e w i t h w h i c h Howard was 
c h a r g e d . 
See Howard v. S t a t e , [Ms. CR-08-1115, December 18, 
200 9] 
So. 3d 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 9 ) . 
We 
g r a n t e d 
c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w 
t o c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
d e c i s i o n i n Howard c o n f l i c t s w i t h i t s d e c i s i o n i n Fox 
 
v. 
S t a t e , 659 So. 2d 210 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 1 
9 9 4 ) . 
See 
R u l e 
3 9 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( D ) , A l a . R. App. P. 
F o r t h e f o l l o w i n g r e a s o n s , 
we 
c o n c l u d e t h a t i t d o e s , a n d we r e v e r s e t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
j u d g m e n t . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
I n i t s o p i n i o n , t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s s u m m a r i z e d 
t h e r e l e v a n t p r o c e d u r a l 
h i s t o r y and u n d i s p u t e d 
f a c t s : 
"Sean 
T r a v i s Howard was 
c h a r g e d 
w i t h 
c a p i t a l 
m u r d e r and was c o n v i c t e d o f r e c k l e s s m u r d e r , s e e § 
1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , 
A l a . Code 
1975. 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s e n t e n c e d h i m t o l i f e 
i m p r i s o n m e n t and o r d e r e d 
h i m 
t o 
p a y 
c o u r t 
c o s t s , 
r e s t i t u t i o n , 
and 
a p p l i c a b l e 
f i n e s . 
On a p p e a l , Howard c o n t e n d s t h a t , w i t h 
r e g a r d 
t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r a l 
i n s t r u c t i o n s t o t h e j u r y 
p e r t a i n i n g 
t o t h e c h a r g e 
o f 
c a p i t a l 
m u r d e r , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on 
m a n s l a u g h t e r as a l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e t o c a p i t a l 
m u r d e r . 
B e c a u s e t h e r e c o r d i n t h i s 
c a s e 
c o n t a i n s 
e v i d e n c e 
t h a t , 
i f b e l i e v e d 
b y 
t h e 
j u r y , 
c o u l d 
r e a s o n a b l y 
s u p p o r t a c o n v i c t i o n f o r 
m a n s l a u g h t e r , we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n f a i l i n g 
t o 
2 
1090763 
i n s t r u c t 
t h e 
j u r y 
on 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
as 
a 
l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e . 
We 
r e v e r s e and remand. 
"On 
A u g u s t 
5, 
2007, 
w h i l e 
w a l k i n g 
down 
t h e 
s t r e e t w i t h C o u r t n e y C o l e y , Howard s t a r e d a t S t a n l e y 
J a c k s o n , and J a c k s o n ' s c o u s i n , J a v o n G r a y , who 
h a d 
a r r i v e d i n G r a y ' s d a r k g r a y f o u r - d o o r v e h i c l e a t Rod 
B e l s e r ' s h o u s e on t h e c o r n e r o f Honeybee C o u r t and 
B r i a r h u r s t 
D r i v e 
i n 
M o n t g o m e r y 
t o 
p u r c h a s e 
m a r i j u a n a . 
Howard s c o w l e d a t G r a y and J a c k s o n and 
mumbled s o m e t h i n g i n r e s p o n s e t o a s t a t e m e n t 
G r a y 
made t o h i m . 
The f o u r e x c h a n g e d w o r d s a b o u t t h e r e d 
c l o t h i n g , 
i n d i c a t i n g 
gang 
m e m b e r s h i p , 
t h a t 
Howard 
and C o l e y w e r e w e a r i n g . 
Howard, J a c k s o n , and 
G r a y 
c o n t i n u e d 
t o engage i n a v e r b a l 
a l t e r c a t i o n 
w h i l e 
G r a y and J a c k s o n w a l k e d t o w a r d B e l s e r ' s h o u s e . 
G r a y 
and J a c k s o n k n o c k e d on B e l s e r ' s d o o r , b u t one o f t h e 
s e v e r a l 
c h i l d r e n 
p l a y i n g 
o u t s i d e 
i n 
t h e 
y a r d 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
B e l s e r was 
n o t a t home. 
When G r a y 
and 
J a c k s o n h e a d e d 
b a c k 
t o 
t h e i r 
v e h i c l e , 
Howard 
s h o u t e d 
a t 
them. 
G r a y 
and 
J a c k s o n , 
who 
were 
unarmed, 
r e t o r t e d , 
' " F [ - - - 
] y ' a l l . " ' 
Howard 
p u l l e d 
a 
s i l v e r 
.38 
c a l i b e r 
p i s t o l 
f r o m t h e w a i s t b a n d o f 
h i s 
p a n t s . 
R . J . , 
t h e 
v i c t i m ' s 
b r o t h e r , 
r e c a l l e d 
t h a t 
Howard 
t o l d 
C o l e y 
t o move 
and 
s a i d , 
'"I'm 
f i x i n g 
t o s h o o t 
t h i s 
N[ 
] r i g h t 
h e r e , " ' 
w h i l e 
p o i n t i n g 
t h e 
p i s t o l 
a t G r a y . 
C o l e y , who 
was 
a l s o 
unarmed, t r i e d t o p u s h Howard's h a n d down, r e m i n d i n g 
Howard 
t h a t 
c h i l d r e n were i n t h e 
v i c i n i t y . 
C o l e y 
c o n t i n u e d t o w r e s t l e t h e gun f r o m Howard. 
S e v e r a l 
s h o t s were 
f i r e d 
and 
t h r e e - y e a r - o l d 
S . J . was h i t . 
Once Howard f i r e d t h e f i r s t 
s h o t , C o l e y r a n . 
A f t e r 
f i r i n g 
s e v e r a l 
s h o t s , Howard r a n o f f , and G r a y 
and 
J a c k s o n 
s p e d 
away 
i n 
G r a y ' s 
c a r 
h e a d e d 
t o w a r d 
J a c k s o n ' s h o u s e t o g e t a gun. 
The v i c t i m , S . J . , was 
t a k e n 
by 
a m b u l a n c e 
t o t h e 
h o s p i t a l 
w h e r e 
he 
was 
p r o n o u n c e d 
d e a d . 
" A c c o r d i n g t o t h e m e d i c a l e x a m i n e r , S . J . , t h e 
v i c t i m , 
d i e d 
f r o m 
a 
s i n g l e 
g u n s h o t 
wound 
t o 
t h e 
b a c k . 
The m e d i c a l e x a m i n e r removed 
t h e 
p r o j e c t i l e 
f r o m t h e 
r i g h t 
c h e s t 
w a l l . 
The 
f o r e n s i c 
e x a m i n e r 
3 
1090763 
t e s t e d t h e r e c o v e r e d p r o j e c t i l e and d e t e r m i n e d 
t h a t 
i t was c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a .38 c a l i b e r 
b u l l e t . 
" I n v e s t i g a t o r 
E.E. 
Howton, 
J r . , w i t h 
t h e 
M o n t g o m e r y 
P o l i c e 
D e p a r t m e n t 
s e a r c h e d 
t h e 
c r i m e 
s c e n e 
a l o n g 
w i t h 
D e t e c t i v e 
G.R. 
Timmerman 
a n d 
C o r p o r a l 
S.E. 
W i l s o n . 
The 
o f f i c e r s 
d i s c o v e r e d a 
c o u p l e o f b u l l e t h o l e s f r o m a .38 c a l i b e r 
p i s t o l i n 
t h e 
h o u s e 
l o c a t e d a t 6065 
B r i a r h u r s t 
D r i v e 
n e a r 
where t h e v i c t i m was 
s h o t and s e v e r a l .45 
c a l i b e r 
s h e l l c a s i n g s f u r t h e r down on E r i c L a n e . 
They a l s o 
d i s c o v e r e d 
t h r e e 
.38 
c a l i b e r 
s h e l l 
c a s i n g s 
n e a r 
a 
d i t c h c l o s e t o where t h e v i c t i m was 
f o u n d 
l y i n g on 
t h e g r o u n d . 
The 
o f f i c e r s 
a l s o r e c o v e r e d a 
s i n g l e 
.38 
c a l i b e r 
p r o j e c t i l e 
a t t h e c o r n e r 
o f 
Honeybee 
C o u r t n e a r where t h e v i c t i m was 
s h o t . 
"The 
d e f e n s e 
e l i c i t e d 
t e s t i m o n y 
f r o m 
s e v e r a l 
w i t n e s s e s a b o u t t h e number o f and d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e 
v e h i c l e s 
p r e s e n t , 
t h e 
c l o t h i n g 
and 
p h y s i c a l 
a t t r i b u t e s 
o f t h e a l l e g e d 
p e r p e t r a t o r s , and 
o t h e r 
s u r r o u n d i n g s a t t h e t i m e o f t h e s h o o t i n g . 
S e v e r a l 
d e f e n s e 
w i t n e s s e s 
r e c a l l e d 
o t h e r 
v e h i c l e s , 
i n 
a d d i t i o n t o a d a r k - c o l o r e d f o u r - d o o r v e h i c l e , a t t h e 
s c e n e . 
D e f e n s e w i t n e s s 
C o r p o r a l S.E. 
W i l s o n 
w i t h 
t h e M o n t g o m e r y 
P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t , who was t h e c a s e 
a g e n t 
a s s i g n e d 
t o 
t h i s 
c a s e , 
t e s t i f i e d 
a b o u t t h e 
i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s 
i n 
t h e 
s t a t e m e n t s 
b y 
t h e 
e y e w i t n e s s e s 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
a f t e r t h e s h o o t i n g and t h e 
t r i a l t e s t i m o n y . 
W h i l e C o r p o r a l W i l s o n a c k n o w l e d g e d 
t h a t s e v e r a l w i t n e s s e s ' s t a t e m e n t s were i n c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h s t a t e m e n t s made by G r a y , J a c k s o n , and R . J . and 
w i t h 
t r i a l 
t e s t i m o n y , 
he 
s t a t e d t h a t t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
a r r e s t e d 
Howard, 
i n 
s p i t e 
o f 
t h e 
i n c o n s i s t e n t 
s t a t e m e n t s , b e c a u s e G r a y , J a c k s o n , a n d R . J . were i n 
c l o s e r 
p r o x i m i t y 
t o t h e 
s h o o t i n g 
t h a n 
were 
t h e 
d e f e n s e 
w i t n e s s e s . 
" D u r i n g 
t h e 
c h a r g i n g 
c o n f e r e n c e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , a f t e r h e a r i n g a r g u m e n t o f c o u n s e l , r e f u s e d t o 
c h a r g e t h e j u r y on m a n s l a u g h t e r 
as a l e s s e r o f f e n s e , 
b e c a u s e , i t 
d e t e r m i n e d , t h e c h a r g e was n o t w a r r a n t e d 
4 
1090763 
u n d e r t h e f a c t s o f t h e c a s e . 
The f o l l o w i n g e x c h a n g e 
o c c u r r e d : 
" ' [ T h e C o u r t ] : 
I t w o u l d be my 
i n t e n t t o 
c h a r g e 
t h e 
j u r y 
on 
c a p i t a l 
m u r d e r 
and 
r e c k l e s s 
m u r d e r . 
I do 
n o t 
t h i n k 
t h e 
b e h a v i o r , 
i f i t i s t o be b e l i e v e d , 
w o u l d 
m e r i t 
l e s s 
t h a n 
t h a t . 
So I t h i n k 
t h o s e 
w o u l d be t h e two 
i n s t r u c t i o n s t h a t 
I am 
g i v i n g . 
" ' [ D e f e n s e 
C o u n s e l ] : 
J u d g e , 
f o r t h e 
r e c o r d , 
we w o u l d 
r e q u e s t 
m a n s l a u g h t e r as 
b e i n g 
an i s s u e o f i n t e n t , and w h e t h e r o r 
n o t 
t h e r e 
were m u l t i p l e 
p e o p l e 
t h a t 
were 
e x p o s e d t o r i s k o f d e a t h o r s e r i o u s 
b o d i l y 
harm, 
and 
t h a t 
t h a t 
s h o u l d 
be 
a 
f a c t 
f i n d i n g 
q u e s t i o n 
f o r t h e j u r y 
and 
t h e y 
s h o u l d 
h a v e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o 
c o n s i d e r 
m a n s l a u g h t e r i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
" ' [ T h e 
C o u r t ] : 
And I h a v e t h o u g h t 
a b o u t 
t h a t , b u t I d o n ' t 
t h i n k t h e f a c t s 
m e r i t 
t h a t . 
So I am 
g o i n g t o g i v e 
t h o s e two 
i n s t r u c t i o n s t o t h e j u r y . 
" ' [ D e f e n s e 
C o u n s e l ] : 
J u d g e , i f we 
c o u l d 
n o t e o u r o b j e c t i o n f o r 
t h e r e c o r d . 
" ' [ T h e C o u r t ] : 
S u r e . ' 
"The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t i n s t r u c t e d t h e j u r y on t h e e l e m e n t s 
o f 
t h e 
c a p i t a l 
o f f e n s e 
c h a r g e d , 
i . e . , m u r d e r 
c o m m i t t e d when t h e v i c t i m i s l e s s t h a n 14 y e a r s o f 
age, 
§ 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) ( 1 5 ) , A l a . 
Code 1975. 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t a l s o i n s t r u c t e d t h e j u r y on r e c k l e s s m u r d e r as 
a 
l e s s e r 
o f f e n s e , 
i . e . , 
m u r d e r 
c o m m i t t e d 
w i t h 
e x t r e m e i n d i f f e r e n c e t o human l i f e , § 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , 
A l a . 
Code 1975. 
The i s s u e was p r o p e r l y 
p r e s e r v e d 
f o r 
r e v i e w by o b j e c t i o n . " 
5 
1090763 
Howard, 
So. 3d a t 
( f o o t n o t e 
and 
c i t a t i o n s 
t o t h e 
r e c o r d 
o m i t t e d ) . 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
t h e n s e t f o r t h 
t h e l a w 
c o n c e r n i n g a d e f e n d a n t ' s e n t i t l e m e n t t o a j u r y i n s t r u c t i o n on 
a l e s s e r o f f e n s e i n c l u d e d i n t h e c h a r g e d o f f e n s e , as f o l l o w s : 
"As 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
s a i d i n B r e c k e n r i d g e 
v. 
S t a t e , 
628 So. 2d 1012 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 9 3 ) , r e g a r d i n g a 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
e n t i t l e m e n t 
t o an 
i n s t r u c t i o n 
on 
a 
l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e : 
"'A 
d e f e n d a n t 
a c c u s e d 
o f a 
g r e a t e r 
o f f e n s e i s e n t i t l e d t o h a v e t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c h a r g e on any l e s s e r i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e i f 
t h e r e 
i s any r e a s o n a b l e 
t h e o r y 
f r o m t h e 
e v i d e n c e 
t o 
s u p p o r t 
t h e 
l e s s e r 
c h a r g e , 
r e g a r d l e s s 
o f w h e t h e r 
t h e 
s t a t e 
o r t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
o f f e r s t h e e v i d e n c e . 
Ex 
p a r t e  
P r u i t t , 457 So. 2d 456 ( A l a . 1 9 8 4 ) ; 
P a r k e r 
v. S t a t e , 581 So. 2d 1211 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 
1990) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 581 So. 2d 1216 
( A l a . 
1991) . 
A 
c o u r t 
may 
p r o p e r l y 
r e f u s e 
t o 
c h a r g e on a l e s s e r i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e 
o n l y 
when (1) i t i s c l e a r t o t h e j u d i c i a l 
m i n d 
t h a t t h e r e i s no e v i d e n c e t e n d i n g t o b r i n g 
t h e 
o f f e n s e 
w i t h i n t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e 
l e s s e r o f f e n s e , o r (2) t h e r e q u e s t e d 
c h a r g e 
w o u l d h a v e a t e n d e n c y t o m i s l e a d o r c o n f u s e 
t h e 
j u r y . 
A n d e r s o n v . S t a t e , 507 So. 2d 
580 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 8 7 ) . 
" ' [ E ] v e r y 
a c c u s e d i s e n t i t l e d t o h a v e c h a r g e s 
g i v e n 
w h i c h 
w o u l d 
n o t 
be 
m i s l e a d i n g , 
w h i c h 
c o r r e c t l y 
s t a t e t h e l a w o f h i s c a s e , 
and 
w h i c h 
a r e 
s u p p o r t e d 
b y 
any 
e v i d e n c e , 
h o w e v e r weak, i n s u f f i c i e n t , o r d o u b t f u l i n 
c r e d i b i l i t y . ' " 
Ex p a r t e S t o r k , 475 So. 2d 
623, 
625 
( A l a . 1985) 
( q u o t i n g 
Ex 
p a r t e 
 
C h a v e r s , 
361 
So. 
2d 
1106, 
1107 ( A l a . 
1 9 7 8 ) ) . 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( b ) [ , 
A l a . Code 
6 
1090763 
1975,] 
p r o v i d e s , 
"The 
c o u r t 
s h a l l 
n o t 
c h a r g e t h e j u r y w i t h r e s p e c t t o an i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e 
u n l e s s 
t h e r e i s a r a t i o n a l 
b a s i s 
f o r a v e r d i c t c o n v i c t i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t o f 
t h e 
i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e . " ' 
"628 
So. 2d a t 1016. 
A l t h o u g h 
t h e b e t t e r p r a c t i c e 
i s t o c h a r g e on a l l l e s s e r o f f e n s e s s u p p o r t e d by t h e 
e v i d e n c e , 
i f 
' " ' " ' i t 
i s p e r f e c t l y 
c l e a r t o t h e 
j u d i c i a l 
m i n d 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s no 
e v i d e n c e 
t e n d i n g 
t o ' " ' " ' 
s u p p o r t 
t h e l e s s e r o f f e n s e , Fox v. 
S t a t e , 
659 So. 2d 210, 213 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 9 4 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
A n d e r s o n v . S t a t e , 507 So. 2d 580, 583 ( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 8 7 ) , 
q u o t i n g i n t u r n 
o t h e r 
c a s e s , 
t h e n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t c a n n o t be p u t i n e r r o r f o r 
n o t c h a r g i n g 
t h e j u r y on t h e l e s s e r o f f e n s e . " 
So. 3d a t 
. The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s t h e n a p p l i e d 
t h e above l a w , as f o l l o w s : 
"We 
a d d r e s s w h e t h e r t h e r e was any e v i d e n c e t o 
s u p p o r t 
a r e a s o n a b l e 
t h e o r y b y w h i c h Howard 
c o u l d 
h a v e b e e n f o u n d 
g u i l t y o f m a n s l a u g h t e r . 
A l l e n v .  
S t a t e , 
54 
6 So. 2d 
1 
00 
9 
( A l a . 
C r i m . 
App. 
1 
98 
8 ) . 
Howard was c h a r g e d w i t h m u r d e r made c a p i t a l p u r s u a n t 
t o § 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) ( 1 5 ) , A l a . 
Code 1975, b e c a u s e t h e 
v i c t i m 
was 
u n d e r 
14 
y e a r s 
o f 
a g e . 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( b ) , w h i c h d e f i n e s 
c a p i t a l m u r d e r , 
p r o v i d e s 
as f o l l o w s : 
" ' E x c e p t as s p e c i f i c a l l y 
p r o v i d e d 
t o t h e 
c o n t r a r y i n t h e l a s t 
p a r t o f s u b d i v i s i o n 
( a ) ( 1 3 ) o f t h i s 
s e c t i o n [§ 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ] , t h e 
t e r m s 
" m u r d e r " 
and 
"murder 
by 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t " 
as 
u s e d 
i n 
t h i s 
s e c t i o n t o 
d e f i n e 
c a p i t a l 
o f f e n s e s 
mean 
m u r d e r 
as 
d e f i n e d i n S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 1 ) , 
b u t n o t 
as 
d e f i n e d 
i n S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) and 
( 3 ) . 
S u b j e c t t o t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 5 - 4 1 , 
m u r d e r 
as 
d e f i n e d 
i n 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) , as w e l l as m u r d e r as 
d e f i n e d i n S e c t i o n 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 1 ) , 
may be a 
7 
1090763 
l e s s e r 
i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e 
o f 
t h e 
c a p i t a l 
o f f e n s e s 
d e f i n e d i n s u b s e c t i o n 
(a) o f 
t h i s 
s e c t i o n . ' 
" S e c t i o n 1 3 A - 5 - 4 1 [ , A l a . Code 1975,] 
p r o v i d e s : 
" ' S u b j e c t 
t o 
t h e 
p r o v i s i o n s 
o f 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( b ) , t h e j u r y may 
f i n d a d e f e n d a n t 
i n d i c t e d 
f o r a c r i m e 
d e f i n e d 
i n 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) 
n o t 
g u i l t y 
o f 
t h e 
c a p i t a l 
o f f e n s e 
b u t 
g u i l t y 
o f a 
l e s s e r 
i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e 
o r 
o f f e n s e s . 
L e s s e r 
i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e s 
s h a l l be 
d e f i n e d 
as p r o v i d e d 
i n 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( a ) , 
and when 
t h e r e 
i s a 
r a t i o n a l b a s i s f o r s u c h a v e r d i c t , i n c l u d e 
b u t a r e n o t l i m i t e d t o , m u r d e r as 
d e f i n e d 
i n S e c t i o n 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) , and t h e a c c o m p a n y i n g 
o t h e r 
f e l o n y , i f any, i n t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) 
upon 
w h i c h 
t h e 
i n d i c t m e n t 
i s b a s e d . ' 
" R e c k l e s s m u r d e r i s a l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e o f 
c a p i t a l m u r d e r as d e f i n e d i n § 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) ( 1 5 ) . See,  
e . g . , Fox v . S t a t e , [659 So. 2d 210 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 4 ) ] . 
'Under A l a b a m a l a w an 
a c c i d e n t a l 
k i l l i n g 
may 
s u p p o r t a c o n v i c t i o n f o r m u r d e r , 
m a n s l a u g h t e r , 
o r 
n e g l i g e n t 
h o m i c i d e , 
d e p e n d i n g 
on 
t h e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e c a s e . ' 
Ex p a r t e Weems, 463 So. 
2d 170, 172 
( A l a . 1 9 8 4 ) . 
'"One 
who 
i n t e n t i o n a l l y 
draws a gun i n r e s p o n s e t o o r i n a n t i c i p a t i o n o f a 
c o n f r o n t a t i o n w i t h a n o t h e r i s c e r t a i n l y aware o f t h e 
r i s k 
t h a t 
t h e gun 
m i g h t 
d i s c h a r g e ; 
t h e r e f o r e , 
he 
c a n n o t be 
g u i l t y o f mere c r i m i n a l n e g l i g e n c e . 
[He 
c a n be] 
g u i l t y o f e i t h e r m u r d e r o r m a n s l a u g h t e r o r 
... g u i l t y o f n o t h i n g 
a t a l l . " ' 
Bunn v. S t a t e , 
581 
So. 
2d 
559, 
561 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 9 1 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
R o b i n s o n v . S t a t e , 441 So. 2d 1045, 1047 ( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 8 3 ) . 
"The 
j u r y c o n v i c t e d 
Howard 
o f r e c k l e s s 
m u r d e r 
p u r s u a n t t o § 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , A l a . Code 1975, 
w h i c h 
s t a t e s , i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
8 
1090763 
" ' ( a ) A p e r s o n 
c o m m i t s t h e 
c r i m e o f m u r d e r i f 
he o r she d o e s 
any o f t h e f o l l o w i n g : 
"' 
(2) 
U n d e r 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
m a n i f e s t i n g e x t r e m e 
i n d i f f e r e n c e 
t o 
human 
l i f e , 
he 
o r 
she 
r e c k l e s s l y 
e n g a g e s 
i n 
c o n d u c t 
w h i c h 
c r e a t e s a 
g r a v e 
r i s k 
o f 
d e a t h 
t o a 
p e r s o n 
o t h e r 
t h a n 
h i m s e l f o r h e r s e l f , 
and t h e r e b y 
c a u s e s 
t h e 
d e a t h 
o f 
a n o t h e r 
p e r s o n . ' 
" I n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , 
' [ a ] p e r s o n c o m m i t s t h e c r i m e 
o f m a n s l a u g h t e r i f 
he r e c k l e s s l y c a u s e s t h e d e a t h o f 
a n o t h e r p e r s o n . ' 
§ 1 3 A - 6 - 3 ( a ) ( 1 ) , A l a . 
Code 1975. 
S e c t i o n 
1 3 A - 2 - 2 ( 3 ) , 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
d e f i n i n g 
' r e c k l e s s l y , ' p r o v i d e s : 
"'A p e r s o n a c t s r e c k l e s s l y w i t h r e s p e c t t o 
a r e s u l t o r t o a c i r c u m s t a n c e d e s c r i b e d b y 
a 
s t a t u t e 
d e f i n i n g an o f f e n s e when he i s 
aware 
o f 
and 
c o n s c i o u s l y 
d i s r e g a r d s a 
s u b s t a n t i a l and u n j u s t i f i a b l e r i s k t h a t t h e 
r e s u l t 
w i l l o c c u r o r t h a t t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e 
e x i s t s . 
The r i s k must be o f s u c h 
n a t u r e 
and 
d e g r e e 
t h a t 
d i s r e g a r d 
t h e r e o f 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
a 
g r o s s 
d e v i a t i o n 
f r o m t h e 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
c o n d u c t 
t h a t 
a 
r e a s o n a b l e 
p e r s o n w o u l d o b s e r v e i n t h e s i t u a t i o n . ' 
" I n Ex p a r t e Weems, s u p r a , t h e A l a b a m a Supreme 
C o u r t e x p l a i n e d t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e d e g r e e o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s t h a t c o n s t i t u t e s m u r d e r a n d t h e d e g r e e 
o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s t h a t 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
" ' A l a b a m a ' s 
h o m i c i d e 
s t a t u t e s 
were 
d e r i v e d 
f r o m 
t h e M o d e l 
P e n a l Code. 
I n 
p r o v i d i n g 
t h a t 
h o m i c i d e 
c o m m i t t e d 
9 
1090763 
" r e c k l e s s l y u n d e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s m a n i f e s t i n g 
e x t r e m e 
i n d i f f e r e n c e 
t o 
human 
l i f e " 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
m u r d e r , t h e d r a f t e r s 
o f t h e 
m o d e l 
code 
were 
a t t e m p t i n g t o d e f i n e 
a 
d e g r e e 
o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
" t h a t 
c a n n o t 
be 
f a i r l y 
d i s t i n g u i s h e d 
f r o m 
h o m i c i d e s 
c o m m i t t e d 
p u r p o s e l y o r k n o w i n g l y . " 
M o d e l 
P e n a l 
Code 
a n d C o m m e n t a r i e s , 
§ 
2 1 0 . 0 2 , 
Comment, 
4 
( 1 9 8 0 ) . 
T h a t 
s t a n d a r d was 
d e s i g n e d 
t o encompass 
t h e c a t e g o r y o f 
m u r d e r 
t r a d i t i o n a l l y 
r e f e r r e d 
t o 
as 
" d e p r a v e d 
h e a r t " 
o r 
" u n i v e r s a l 
m a l i c e " 
k i l l i n g s . 
E x a m p l e s 
o f s u c h 
a c t s 
i n c l u d e 
s h o o t i n g 
i n t o an o c c u p i e d h o u s e o r i n t o a 
m o v i n g a u t o m o b i l e o r p i l o t i n g a 
s p e e d b o a t 
t h r o u g h a g r o u p o f swimmers. 
See L a F a v e & 
S c o t t , C r i m i n a l Law, § 70 ( 1 9 7 2 ) . 
" ' R e c k l e s s l y 
c a u s i n g a n o t h e r ' s 
d e a t h 
may 
g i v e 
r i s e 
t o t h e 
l e s s e r 
i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e o f m a n s l a u g h t e r . 
A d e f e n d a n t who 
r e c k l e s s l y c a u s e s a n o t h e r ' s d e a t h c o m m i t s 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
i f 
he 
" c o n s c i o u s l y 
d i s r e g a r d [ e d ] 
a 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
a n d 
u n j u s t i f i a b l e 
r i s k 
t h a t h i s c o n d u c t 
w o u l d 
c a u s e 
t h a t 
r e s u l t . " 
M o d e l 
P e n a l Code a n d 
C o m m e n t a r i e s , 
§ 2 1 0 . 0 3 , Comment 4 ( 1 9 8 0 ) . 
The 
d i f f e r e n c e 
b e t w e e n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
w h i c h 
w i l l s u p p o r t a m u r d e r c o n v i c t i o n a n d 
t h e 
d e g r e e 
o f 
r i s k 
c o n t e m p l a t e d b y t h e 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
s t a t u t e i s 
one o f d e g r e e , n o t 
k i n d . 
From a c o m p a r i s o n o f S e c t i o n s 210.03 
and 210.02 o f t h e M o d e l 
Code, i t a p p e a r s 
t h a t t h e d e g r e e o f r e c k l e s s n e s s w h i c h 
w i l l 
s u p p o r t a m a n s l a u g h t e r c o n v i c t i o n 
i n v o l v e s 
a c i r c u m s t a n c e w h i c h i s 
a " g r o s s d e v i a t i o n 
f r o m 
t h e 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
c o n d u c t 
t h a t 
a 
l a w - a b i d i n g 
p e r s o n 
w o u l d 
o b s e r v e 
i n t h e 
a c t o r ' s s i t u a t i o n , " b u t i s 
n o t so h i g h t h a t 
i t 
c a n n o t be 
" f a i r l y 
d i s t i n g u i s h e d 
f r o m " 
t h e 
m e n t a l 
s t a t e 
r e q u i r e d i n i n t e n t i o n a l 
h o m i c i d e s . 
Compare Comment 4 t o § 210.02 
w i t h Comment 4 t o § 2 1 0 . 0 3 . ' 
10 
1090763 
"463 
So. 2d a t 172 
( f o o t n o t e o m i t t e d ) . 
As 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
s a i d i n Fox v . S t a t e , 
s u p r a : 
"'The 
s t r o n g e s t e v i d e n c e 
t h a t s u p p o r t s an 
i n s t r u c t i o n 
on 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
i s t h e 
f a c t 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u r y 
s p e c i f i c a l l y 
f o u n d 
t h e 
a p p e l l a n t 
g u i l t y 
o f 
" r e c k l e s s m u r d e r , " § 
1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , 
w h i c h 
r e q u i r e s 
a 
s i m i l a r 
m e n t a l 
s t a t e t o t h e o f f e n s e o f 
" r e c k l e s s 
m a n s l a u g h t e r . " 
§ 
1 3 A - 6 - 3 ( a ) ( 1 ) . 
See 
 
M c L a u g h l i n v . S t a t e , 586 So. 2d 267 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 1 ) . ' 
"659 So. 2d a t 213. 
" B a s e d 
on 
t h e 
f a c t s 
o f 
t h i s 
c a s e 
and 
t h e 
a p p l i c a b l e 
l a w 
r e g a r d i n g 
when 
a 
d e f e n d a n t 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o a 
j u r y 
c h a r g e 
on 
a 
l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e , 
we 
must 
r e v e r s e Howard's 
c o n v i c t i o n 
and 
remand t h e c a s e . 
See § 1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( b ) , A l a . 
Code. 1975; 
Ex p a r t e S m i t h , 756 So. 2d 957 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) ; Fox v .  
S t a t e , 
s u p r a . 
I n 
t h i s 
p a r t i c u l a r 
c a s e , 
t h e r e i s 
e v i d e n c e t h a t s e v e r a l s h o t s were f i r e d f r o m Howard's 
.38 
c a l i b e r 
p i s t o l 
n e a r 
a 
y a r d 
where 
s e v e r a l 
c h i l d r e n were p l a y i n g as C o l e y s t r u g g l e d w i t h Howard 
t o 
w r e s t l e t h e p i s t o l 
f r o m h i s h a n d . 
B a s e d on t h e 
e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d a t t r i a l , we h o l d t h a t t h e r e was 
s u f f i c i e n t 
e v i d e n c e 
o f 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
t o 
w a r r a n t 
s u b m i t t i n g i t t o t h e j u r y . 
T h u s , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on 
m a n s l a u g h t e r . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
Howard's 
c o n v i c t i o n 
and 
s e n t e n c e 
a r e 
due t o be r e v e r s e d , and t h i s 
c a u s e 
i s remanded t o 
t h e t r i a l c o u r t f o r p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n . " 
So. 3d a t 
. 
The S t a t e t h e n p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s C o u r t f o r 
c e r t i o r a r i r e v i e w o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' 
d e c i s i o n . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
11 
1090763 
"Where, 
as 
h e r e , 
an 
a p p e l l a t e 
c o u r t 
r e v i e w s 
a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
c o n c l u s i o n 
o f 
l a w 
and 
i t s a p p l i c a t i o n o f 
l a w 
t o 
t h e 
f a c t s , i t a p p l i e s a de novo s t a n d a r d 
o f r e v i e w . W a s h i n g t o n 
v.  
S t a t e , 
922 
So. 
2d 
145, 
158 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 5 ) . " 
S t e w a r t 
 
v. 
S t a t e , 
990 
So. 
2d 
441, 
442 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 8 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
The 
S t a t e 
a s s e r t s 
t h a t 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
" t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o c h a r g e 
t h e 
j u r y 
on 
m a n s l a u g h t e r , " 
So. 
3d 
a t 
, 
was 
i n 
e r r o r 
b e c a u s e , t h e S t a t e a r g u e s , t h e r e was 
no e v i d e n c e i n t h e 
r e c o r d 
t o s u p p o r t c h a r g i n g Howard w i t h t h e 
o f f e n s e 
o f m a n s l a u g h t e r . 
F o r 
t h a t r e a s o n , 
t h e 
S t a t e a r g u e s t h a t t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' d e c i s i o n c o n f l i c t s w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g h o l d i n g i n 
Fox: 
"'A 
c o u r t may 
p r o p e r l y 
r e f u s e 
t o c h a r g e on 
a l e s s e r 
i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e 
... when 
... 
i t i s c l e a r t o 
t h e 
j u d i c i a l m i n d 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s no e v i d e n c e t e n d i n g 
t o b r i n g t h e 
o f f e n s e 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
d e f i n i t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
l e s s e r o f f e n s e 
'" 
659 
So. 
2d 
a t 
212 
( q u o t i n g A n d e r s o n v. 
S t a t e , 
507 
So. 
2d 
580, 
582 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 8 7 ) ) . 
We 
a g r e e . 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s s e t f o r t h t h e p e r t i n e n t 
and 
w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d l a w i n i t s o p i n i o n c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e 
d e f i n i t i o n s 
o f 
r e c k l e s s 
m u r d e r 
and 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
and 
t h e 
d e g r e e s 
o f 
12 
1090763 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h 
t h o s e 
o f f e n s e s . 
The C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t 
" t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n 
f a i l i n g 
t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on m a n s l a u g h t e r , " 
So. 3d a t 
, b e c a u s e , t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s d e t e r m i n e d , " [ i ] n 
t h i s 
p a r t i c u l a r 
c a s e , 
t h e r e 
i s e v i d e n c e 
t h a t 
s e v e r a l 
s h o t s 
were f i r e d f r o m Howard's .38 c a l i b e r 
p i s t o l n e a r a y a r d where 
s e v e r a l c h i l d r e n were p l a y i n g as C o l e y s t r u g g l e d w i t h Howard 
t o w r e s t l e t h e p i s t o l 
f r o m h i s h a n d . " 
Howard, 
So. 3d a t 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) .
1 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c i t e s no 
o t h e r 
e v i d e n c e i n s u p p o r t o f i t s c o n c l u s i o n 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on m a n s l a u g h t e r as 
a 
l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e . 
We 
d i s a g r e e 
w i t h 
t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f t h e e v i d e n c e -- 
t h a t 
" s e v e r a l s h o t s were f i r e d 
... as C o l e y s t r u g g l e d w i t h Howard 
t o w r e s t l e t h e p i s t o l f r o m h i s h a n d . " 
A r e v i e w o f t h e r e c o r d 
d o e s 
n o t 
r e v e a l 
t h a t 
s h o t s 
were 
a c c i d e n t a l l y 
f i r e d 
w h i l e 
1 E a r l i e r 
i n i t s o p i n i o n , 
t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d t h a t " C o l e y c o n t i n u e d 
t o w r e s t l e t h e gun f r o m Howard. 
S e v e r a l s h o t s were f i r e d and t h r e e - y e a r - o l d S . J . was h i t . Once  
Howard f i r e d t h e f i r s t 
s h o t , C o l e y r a n . A f t e r f i r i n g 
s e v e r a l 
s h o t s , 
Howard 
r a n o f f 
Howard, 
So. 
3d a t 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
We n o t e t h a t 
t h i s 
c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f t h e 
e v i d e n c e 
i s 
c l e a r l y 
c o n t r a d i c t o r y 
w i t h 
i t s 
l a t e r 
c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f t h e e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t Howard 
f i r e d 
s e v e r a l s h o t s as he s t r u g g l e d w i t h 
C o l e y . 
13 
1090763 
Howard 
s t r u g g l e d w i t h 
C o l e y 
o v e r 
p o s s e s s i o n 
o f t h e 
gun. 
R a t h e r , t h e r e c o r d r e f l e c t s 
t h a t Howard 
f i r e d 
s h o t s a t G r a y 
a f t e r 
he 
and 
C o l e y 
h a d 
s t o p p e d 
s t r u g g l i n g . 
R . J . , 
an 
e y e w i t n e s s t o t h e s h o o t i n g and t h e v i c t i m ' s b r o t h e r , 
t e s t i f i e d 
a t 
t r i a l 
c o n c e r n i n g t h e e v e n t s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e s h o o t i n g : 
" • . [ P r o s e c u t i o n : ] Where was 
[Howard] 
s t a n d i n g 
when he p u l l e d o u t t h e gun? 
" [ R . J . : ] By t h e 
d i t c h . 
"Q. D i d you h e a r [Howard] s a y a n y t h i n g when he 
p u l l e d o u t t h e gun? 
"A. 
Uh-huh. 
"Q. What d i d he s a y ? 
"A. 
He 
s a i d 
I 
am 
g o i n g 
t o 
s h o o t 
( u n i n t e l l i g i b l e . ) 
"COURT REPORTER: I d i d n ' t u n d e r s t a n d 
t h a t . 
"Q. Can you s a y i t f o r me a 
l i t t l e 
b i t s l o w e r 
and a 
l i t t l e b i t l o u d e r ? I know you h a v e a c o u g h . 
"A. [Howard] s a i d , 'Move, [ C o l e y ] , I am g o i n g t o 
s h o t 
[ s i c ] 
t h i s n i g g e r r i g h t 
h e r e . ' 
"Q. 
[Howard] s a i d , 'Move, 
[ C o l e y ] , b e c a u s e I'm 
f i x i n g t o s h o o t 
t h i s 'N' r i g h t h e r e . ' D i d I g e t t h a t 
r i g h t ? 
"A. Y e s , ma'am. 
14 
1090763 
"Q. Was [ C o l e y ] t h e 
o t h e r g u y t h a t was w i t h him? 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am. 
"Q. Can 
y o u h e l p me u n d e r s t a n d where [ C o l e y ] was 
s t a n d i n g a n d where -¬
"A. He was r i g h t b y [ H o w a r d ] . 
"Q. He was r i g h t b y [ H o w a r d ] ? 
"A. 
Uh-huh. 
"Q. A n d when he s a i d 'Move, 
[ C o l e y ] , ' what was 
[ C o l e y ] 
t r y i n g t o 
do? 
"A. G e t t h e 
gun o u t 
o f [Howard's] h a n d . 
f l 
"Q. A n d y o u s a i d 
[Howard] 
p u l l e d 
i t 
o u t 
a n d 
[ C o l e y ] 
t r i e d t o p u s h i t 
o u t 
o f [Howard's] hand? 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am. 
"Q. A n d t h e n [Howard] s a i d , what y o u j u s t 
t o l d 
u s . D i d 
I g e t t h a t 
r i g h t ? 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am. 
"Q. A n d [Howard] i s t e l l i n g 
[ C o l e y ] , move o u t o f 
t h e way, I am f i x i n g t o s h o o t . I s t h a t 
r i g h t ? 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am. 
"Q. How was [Howard] h o l d i n g t h e gun? 
"A. J u s t 
l i k e 
t h a t 
( i n d i c a t i n g ) . 
"Q. So j u s t 
l i k e 
t h i s ? 
"A. 
Uh-huh. 
15 
1090763 
"Q. F o r 
t h e 
r e c o r d , y o u 
a r e 
s h o w i n g y o u r h a n d 
i n 
a 
f i s t . Was t h e gun p o i n t e d u p , o r was i t 
t o 
t h e 
s i d e ? 
"A. Up. 
"Q. Was i t p o i n t e d a t anyone i n p a r t i c u l a r ? 
"A. A t [ G r a y ] . 
"Q. A t [ G r a y ] . Okay. 
"Q. D i d [Howard] e v e r 
f i r e 
t h a t gun? 
"A. Who, [ H o w a r d ] ? 
"Q. Uh-huh. 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am. 
"Q. A b o u t how many t i m e s d i d 
[ s i c ] y o u t h i n k he 
f i r e d 
t h a t gun? 
"A. 
T h r e e . 
"Q. Do y o u know i f one o f t h o s e s h o t s 
h i t y o u r 
b r o t h e r ? 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am. 
"Q. How do y o u know 
t h a t ? 
"A. 
B e c a u s e when [Howard] s h o t , he h a d s h o t a t 
[ G r a y ' s ] 
l e g . The b u l l e t h a d m i s s e d 
[ G r a y ] a n d h i t 
my b r o t h e r i n 
t h e b a c k . 
"Q. Okay. So t h e 
b u l l e t went p a s t 
[ G r a y ' s ] l e g , 
i s 
t h a t what y o u s a i d , a n d h i t y o u r b r o t h e r i n t h e 
b a c k ? 
"A. Y e s , 
ma'am." 
16 
1090763 
N o t h i n g 
i n R . J . ' s t e s t i m o n y 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h a t 
any 
s h o t s 
were 
f i r e d w h i l e C o l e y was s t r u g g l i n g w i t h Howard f o r p o s s e s s i o n o f 
t h e 
gun. 
I n s t e a d , 
R . J . ' s 
t e s t i m o n y 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h a t 
a f t e r 
C o l e y ' s a t t e m p t t o s t o p Howard f r o m s h o o t i n g t h e gun a t G r a y 
was b r o k e n o f f , Howard 
t o o k a i m a t G r a y ' s l e g and 
f i r e d 
a 
s h o t , 
w h i c h 
m i s s e d 
G r a y ' s 
l e g and h i t S . J . i n t h e b a c k . 
F u r t h e r , 
M a r c u s 
W i l l i a m s , 
a 
w i t n e s s 
c a l l e d 
by 
Howard, 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
C o l e y 
" t r i e d 
t o h i t [Howard's] gun o u t o f 
[Howard's] 
h a n d " 
" [ b ] e f o r e 
[Howard] 
s t a r t e d 
s h o o t i n g . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
The r e c o r d a l s o i n d i c a t e s , as t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s n o t e s i n i t s 
o p i n i o n , 
t h a t C o l e y 
f l e d 
a f t e r 
Howard f i r e d t h e f i r s t s h o t and t h a t Howard p r o c e e d e d t o s h o o t 
s e v e r a l more s h o t s . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
i t a p p e a r s t h a t t h e v i e w o f 
t h e e v i d e n c e 
r e l i e d upon by t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s i n 
i t s c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o c h a r g e 
t h e 
j u r y on m a n s l a u g h t e r as a l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e t o t h e 
o f f e n s e o f c a p i t a l m u r d e r i s n o t s u p p o r t e d b y t h e r e c o r d , and 
Howard does n o t d i r e c t t h i s C o u r t t o any o t h e r e v i d e n c e 
t h a t 
w o u l d s u p p o r t t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' 
c o n c l u s i o n . 
The 
r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h a t 
Howard 
i n t e n t i o n a l l y 
t o o k 
s e v e r a l s h o t s a t G r a y , who was s t a n d i n g i n c l o s e p r o x i m i t y t o 
a g r o u p o f c h i l d r e n . 
The r e c o r d 
a l s o 
i n d i c a t e s t h a t Howard 
17 
1090763 
was 
aware o f t h e p r e s e n c e 
o f t h e 
c h i l d r e n 
i n t h e 
v i c i n i t y 
where he w o u l d be s h o o t i n g , as e v i d e n c e d by C o l e y ' s w a r n i n g s 
t o 
Howard 
and 
t h e 
s t r u g g l e 
b e t w e e n 
C o l e y 
and 
Howard 
i m m e d i a t e l y b e f o r e and 
as Howard b e g a n 
s h o o t i n g . 
R e c k l e s s 
m u r d e r 
and 
r e c k l e s s 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
do 
n o t 
i n v o l v e 
t h e 
same 
d e g r e e o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s . 
"The d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h 
w i l l 
s u p p o r t a m u r d e r c o n v i c t i o n and t h e d e g r e e 
o f 
r i s k 
c o n t e m p l a t e d by t h e m a n s l a u g h t e r 
s t a t u t e i s one 
o f 
d e g r e e , n o t k i n d . 
... 
[ T ] h e d e g r e e 
o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
w h i c h 
w i l l 
s u p p o r t 
a 
m a n s l a u g h t e r 
c o n v i c t i o n 
i n v o l v e s a c i r c u m s t a n c e w h i c h i s a ' g r o s s 
d e v i a t i o n 
f r o m 
t h e 
s t a n d a r d o f 
c o n d u c t 
t h a t 
a l a w - a b i d i n g 
p e r s o n w o u l d o b s e r v e i n t h e a c t o r ' s 
s i t u a t i o n , ' 
b u t 
i s 
n o t 
so 
h i g h 
t h a t 
i t 
c a n n o t 
be 
' f a i r l y 
d i s t i n g u i s h e d 
f r o m ' 
t h e 
m e n t a l 
s t a t e 
r e q u i r e d 
i n 
i n t e n t i o n a l h o m i c i d e s . " 
Ex p a r t e Weems, 463 So. 2d 170, 172 
( A l a . 1 9 8 4 ) . 
F u r t h e r , 
" [ i ] n 
' r e c k l e s s ' o r 
' u n i v e r s a l m a l i c e ' m u r d e r , 
'the 
d e f e n d a n t e v i n c e s a c u l p a b l e m i n d , 
d e t e r m i n e d 
t o a c t no m a t t e r what t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s 
t o o t h e r s . 
He 
must h a v e d e t e r m i n e d t o 
f o l l o w a c o u r s e o f 
a c t i o n 
w h i c h 
he 
knows, 
o r 
s h o u l d 
know, 
w i l l , 
i n a l l 
p r o b a b i l i t y , 
l e a d 
t o harm 
t o a n o t h e r . ' N a p i e r 
v.  
S t a t e , 357 So. 2d 1011, 1014 
( A l a . 1 9 7 8 ) . 
'The 
w o r d 
" d e t e r m i n e s " p r e s u p p o s e s 
t h a t some m e n t a l 
o p e r a t i o n 
has 
t a k e n 
p l a c e ; 
t h e 
r e a s o n i n g 
f a c u l t y 
must 
be 
c a l l e d 
i n t o 
p l a y . ' 
L a n g f o r d v. 
S t a t e , 
354 
So. 
2d 
313, 315 
( A l a . 1 9 7 7 ) . 
" ' I n 
p r o v i d i n g 
t h a t 
h o m i c i d e 
c o m m i t t e d 
" r e c k l e s s l y u n d e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s m a n i f e s t i n g 
e x t r e m e 
i n d i f f e r e n c e 
t o 
human 
l i f e " 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
m u r d e r , 
t h e 
d r a f t e r s 
o f 
t h e 
m o d e l 
code 
were 
a t t e m p t i n g t o 
d e f i n e 
a 
18 
1090763 
d e g r e e 
o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
" t h a t 
c a n n o t 
be 
f a i r l y 
d i s t i n g u i s h e d 
f r o m 
h o m i c i d e s 
c o m m i t t e d 
p u r p o s e l y 
o r k n o w i n g l y . " 
M o d e l 
P e n a l 
Code 
and C o m m e n t a r i e s , 
§ 
2 1 0 . 0 2 , 
Comment, 4 
( 1 9 8 0 ) . ' 
"Ex 
p a r t e Weems, 463 So. 2d a t 1 7 2 . " 
Woods v. S t a t e , 
602 So. 2d 1210, 1211-12 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 2 ) . 
Howard's 
a c t i o n s 
e x c e e d e d 
t h a t 
d e g r e e o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
t h a t 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
m a n s l a u g h t e r and f i t s q u a r e l y 
w i t h i n t h e 
d e g r e e o f r e c k l e s s n e s s 
t h a t 
c o n s t i t u t e s r e c k l e s s m u r d e r . 
As 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t , q u o t i n g F o x , 659 So. 2d a t 2 1 3 , h e l d , 
" ' " ' " i t 
i s 
p e r f e c t l y 
c l e a r t o t h e j u d i c i a l 
m i n d 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s no 
e v i d e n c e 
t e n d i n g 
t o " ' " ' " s u p p o r t a m a n s l a u g h t e r c h a r g e as a 
l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e t o c a p i t a l m u r d e r b e c a u s e Howard was 
d e t e r m i n e d t o f o l l o w t h r o u g h on a c o u r s e o f a c t i o n t h a t w o u l d 
c r e a t e a g r a v e 
r i s k o f d e a t h t o a p e r s o n o t h e r 
t h a n 
h i m s e l f , 
and 
t h e r e b y c a u s e t h e d e a t h o f a n o t h e r p e r s o n . 
Fox v. S t a t e , 
659 So. 2d a t 213 ( q u o t i n g A n d e r s o n v . S t a t e , 507 So. 2d 580, 
583 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 8 7 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
i n t u r n 
o t h e r 
c a s e s ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
we 
h o l d 
t h a t 
t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
d e c i s i o n i s 
i n c o n f l i c t w i t h F o x , and we t h e r e f o r e r e v e r s e t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
j u d g m e n t 
h o l d i n g 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on m a n s l a u g h t e r as 
19 
1090763 
a l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d 
o f f e n s e t o t h e c h a r g e d 
o f f e n s e o f 
c a p i t a l 
m u r d e r . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
B a s e d 
on t h e f o r e g o i n g , t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
i s r e v e r s e d and t h e c a s e 
remanded t o t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s f o r 
p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h i s 
o p i n i o n . 
REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
M a l o n e , C . J . , and W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , B o l i n , and Shaw, J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
M u r d o c k , J . , d i s s e n t s . 
M a i n and W i s e , J J . , r e c u s e 
t h e m s e l v e s . * 
* J u s t i c e M a i n and J u s t i c e W i s e were members o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s when t h a t c o u r t c o n s i d e r e d t h i s 
c a s e . 
20 
1090763 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e ( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
T h i s 
c a s e d o e s n o t i n v o l v e t h e d o c t r i n e o f t r a n s f e r r e d 
i n t e n t . 
S e e , e . g . , C a r t e r v . S t a t e , 843 So. 2d 812 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 2 ) . 
G i v e n 
t h e l i m i t e d 
t e s t i m o n y 
as t o t h e 
r e l a t i v e 
p h y s i c a l 
p o s i t i o n s o f t h e v a r i o u s 
a c t o r s 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
b e f o r e 
S . J . was s h o t , I c a n n o t c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t 
p r o p e r l y 
w i t h h e l d f r o m t h e j u r y t h e d e c i s i o n w h e t h e r t h e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
p r e s e n t e d 
i n t h i s 
c a s e 
i n v o l v e 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
o f t h e 
n a t u r e 
c o n t e m p l a t e d b y § 1 3 A - 6 - 3 ( a ) ( 1 ) , A l a . 
Code 1975 ( d e f i n i n g 
r e c k l e s s m a n s l a u g h t e r ) , o r r e c k l e s s n e s s o f t h e more e x t r e m e 
n a t u r e 
c o n t e m p l a t e d 
i n § 
1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , 
A l a . Code 1975 
( d e f i n i n g 
r e c k l e s s 
m u r d e r ) . 
See M c L a u g h l i n v . S t a t e , 586 
So. 2d 2 6 7 , 
271 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1991) ( d e f i n i n g 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
u n d e r § 1 3 A - 6 - 3 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( r e c k l e s s m a n s l a u g h t e r ) as b e i n g 
p r e s e n t 
when t h e a c t o r 
" ' " c o n s c i o u s l y 
d i s r e g a r d [ s ] a s u b s t a n t i a l a n d 
u n j u s t i f i a b l e r i s k t h a t h i s c o n d u c t w o u l d c a u s e t h a t 
r e s u l t " ' " 
( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e Weems, 463 So. 2d 170, 172 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 4 ) ) ) ; 
Ex p a r t e Weems, 463 So. 2d a t 172 ("In 
p r o v i d i n g t h a t h o m i c i d e 
c o m m i t t e d ' r e c k l e s s l y u n d e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
m a n i f e s t i n g 
e x t r e m e 
i n d i f f e r e n c e t o 
human l i f e ' 
c o n s t i t u t e s m u r d e r [ u n d e r § 13A-6-
2 ( a ) ( 2 ) ] , t h e d r a f t e r s o f t h e m o d e l c o d e were a t t e m p t i n g t o 
d e f i n e 
a 
d e g r e e 
o f 
r e c k l e s s n e s s 
' t h a t 
c a n n o t 
be 
f a i r l y 
21 
1090763 
d i s t i n g u i s h e d 
f r o m 
h o m i c i d e s 
c o m m i t t e d 
p u r p o s e l y 
o r 
k n o w i n g l y . ' 
M o d e l 
P e n a l 
Code 
and C o m m e n t a r i e s , 
§ 
2 1 0 . 0 2 , 
Comment, 4 
( 1 9 8 0 ) . " ) ; Ex p a r t e O l i v e r , 
518 So. 2d 705, 706 
( A l a . 
1987) ("A d e f e n d a n t i s e n t i t l e d t o a c h a r g e on a l e s s e r 
i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e i f t h e r e i s any r e a s o n a b l e t h e o r y f r o m t h e 
e v i d e n c e t h a t w o u l d s u p p o r t t h e p o s i t i o n . " ) ; and B r e c k e n r i d g e  
v. 
S t a t e , 
628 
So. 2d 1012, 1016 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1993) 
( " [ E ] v e r y 
a c c u s e d 
i s e n t i t l e d 
t o h a v e 
c h a r g e s 
g i v e n 
w h i c h 
c o r r e c t l y 
s t a t e t h e l a w o f h i s c a s e , and w h i c h a r e s u p p o r t e d 
by any e v i d e n c e , h o w e v e r weak, 
i n s u f f i c i e n t , o r d o u b t f u l i n 
c r e d i b i l i t y . " ) . 
B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , I w o u l d 
a f f i r m t h e j u d g m e n t o f 
t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ; t h e r e f o r e , I d i s s e n t . 
22