Opinion ID: 1735108
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Opposition to a manslaughter instruction being granted

Text: ¶ 54. The State offered the manslaughter instruction attempting to get the trial court to grant a lesser-included instruction. Obviously, the State requested the manslaughter instruction in case the jury did not find that Reynolds met the elements of murder in order to convict on that charge. The defense objected to the manslaughter instruction. The trial court sustained the objection and did not allow the instruction. There is no adequate showing by Reynolds that the trial defense counsel's decision to oppose the manslaughter instruction was not sound trial strategy and therefore prejudiced her case. Reynolds on appeal offers no real argument as to why this amounted to ineffective assistance of counsel except to say that the jury was limited to murder, guilty or not guilty. Furthermore, the evidence presented did not warrant a manslaughter instruction as discussed in Issue II. We find this assignment of error to be without merit.