Opinion ID: 2350302
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Standard of ReviewDenial of a Lesser-Included Offense Instruction

Text: [¶ 23] The determination of whether one crime is a lesser-included offense of another generally implicates a question of law, subjecting the issue to appellate review de novo: When the error is preserved, the standard for appellate review with respect to the grant or denial by the trial court of a lesser included offense instruction is directed by the nature of the question. We hold that the determination of what offenses are necessarily included in the offense charged is primarily a question of law. Wyo.R.Crim.P. 31(c). Therefore, the appropriate standard for appellate review is de novo. United States v. Spencer, 905 F.2d 1260 (9th Cir.1990); United States v. Komisaruk, 885 F.2d 490 (9th Cir.1989); United States v. Brown, 761 F.2d 1272 (9th Cir.1985). [  ]. State v. Keffer, 860 P.2d 1118, 1137 (Wyo. 1993); see Dean v. State, 2003 WY 128, ¶¶ 11-12, 77 P.3d 692, 696 (Wyo.2003); Houghton v. State, 6 P.3d 643, 646 (Wyo. 2000); Paramo v. State, 896 P.2d 1342, 1344 (Wyo.1995); Sindelar v. State, 932 P.2d 730, 732 (Wyo.1997).