Case Name: James NELSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1979-06-06
Citations: 371 So. 2d 706
Docket Number: No. 77-1472
Parties: James NELSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: DAUKSCH and BERANEK, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 371
Pages: 706–706

Head Matter:
James NELSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 77-1472.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
June 6, 1979.
Rehearing Denied June 29, 1979.
Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Tatjana Ostapoff, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Robert L. Bogen, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
LETTS, Judge.
This appeal comes to us because the trial court failed to include an instruction on excusable homicide. The appellant was convicted of second degree murder. We reverse.
The judge instructed the jury on manslaughter and justifiable homicide but refused to give the instruction on excusable homicide. This was error because manslaughter cannot be adequately defined without it. Robinson v. State, 338 So.2d 1309 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976); Pouk v. State, 359 So.2d 929 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978).
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
DAUKSCH and BERANEK, JJ., concur.