Opinion ID: 1119472
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Attempted Reckless Manslaughter

Text: Under HRS § 701-109(5) (1993), if there is a rational basis in the evidence for a verdict acquitting the defendant of the offense charged and convicting the defendant of the included offense, the court must charge the jury with respect to the included offense, unless (1) the prosecution does not request that included instructions be given and (2) the defendant specifically objects to the included offense instructions for tactical reasons. State v. Kupau, 76 Hawai`i 387, 395, 879 P.2d 492, 500 (1994). Relying on State v. Tagaro, 7 Haw.App. 291, 757 P.2d 1175 (1987), Moore argues that attempted reckless manslaughter is an included offense of attempted second degree murder and that, having found a scintilla of evidence of recklessness to support a reckless endangering instruction, the court was also required to instruct the jury on attempted reckless manslaughter. In Tagaro, the ICA held that the crime of attempted [reckless] manslaughter under the circumstances of this case is an included offense of attempted murder, and the trial court in the instant case was required to, sua sponte, instruct the jury that it could find Defendant guilty of that included offense if it did not find him guilty of attempted murder. Id. at 297, 757 P.2d at 1179 (citation omitted). Our recent decision in State v. Holbron, 80 Hawai`i 27, 904 P.2d 912 (1995), however, disposes of Moore's argument. In Holbron, we unequivocally overruled Tagaro and held that, under the Hawai`i Penal Code, there can be no offense of attempted reckless manslaughter. Holbron, 80 Hawai`i at 45, 904 P.2d at 930. Attempted reckless manslaughter is not, therefore, an included offense of attempted second degree murder. The failure sua sponte to instruct the jury on attempted reckless manslaughter, therefore, was not error.