Opinion ID: 1652032
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the trial court erred in refusing the proposed manslaughter instructions.

Text: ¶ 15. Carter contends that the trial court erred in sustaining the State's objection to Carter's manslaughter instruction on the grounds that the evidence did not support it. She argues that the instruction on heat of passion manslaughter was supported by the witnesses' testimony that she and Hundley had been drinking and were arguing before the shooting. Cooley testified that Hundley merely intervened briefly in an argument between Cooley and Carter. Carter testified that she and Hundley became involved in an argument over whether Carter would drive Hundley back into town for more alcohol. However, even taking Carter's testimony as true, an argument of such minimal importance does not fall under the definition of heat of passion. There was no evidence that Hundley struck, threatened, or provoked Carter in any way so as to produce the type of immediate and reasonably anticipated anger required to rise to the level of heat of passion. The mere fact that [the victim] and appellant argued before the shooting would not reduce the crime to manslaughter... Johnson v. State, 416 So.2d 383, 388 (Miss.1982). We find that Judge Bailey was correct in finding that the evidence did not support an instruction on heat of passion manslaughter in this case.