Opinion ID: 1706565
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: did the trial court err when it refused to grant willie a lesser included offense of manslaughter?

Text: Willie was charged with capital murder. The trial court granted a lesser included offense instruction for murder, but refused to grant a lesser included instruction for manslaughter. Willie argues that the trial court erred in refusing the manslaughter instruction because there was substantial evidence in the record to support a no malice instruction or a heat of passion instruction. The instruction proposed by Willie would have told the jury that it could find Willie guilty of manslaughter if it found beyond a reasonable doubt that Willie killed Joe Clardy while engaged in the commission of an armed robbery. The manslaughter statute explicitly excepts rape, burglary, arson, and robbery from its provisions. See Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-27 (1972). The trial court cannot be put in error for refusing to give an instruction that misstates the law. Allman v. State, 571 So.2d 244, 250 (Miss. 1990). Therefore, this assignment of error has no merit.