Opinion ID: 1119242
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: instructions on the lesserincluded homicide offenses

Text: Appellant contends that the trial court's refusal to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offenses for homicide was error and that it violated his due process rights under Beck v. Alabama, supra . First, we note that there is no lesser-included homicide offense of the crime of felony-murder and failure to instruct thereon does not constitute error. State v. Arias, 131 Ariz. 441, 641 P.2d 1285 (1982). In a potential death penalty case, the court has a duty to instruct on every degree of homicide embraced in the information and supported by the evidence. State v. Dalglish, 131 Ariz. 133, 639 P.2d 323 (1982). But where the sole defense is self-defense so that the evidence requires either conviction or acquittal, any instruction on any other grade would be impermissible. State v. Jones, 109 Ariz. 80, 505 P.2d 251 (1973). The only theory offered by the appellant and supported by the evidence is that Celaya killed Walker in self-defense. The trial court did not err in refusing to instruct the jury on the lesser-included homicide offenses.