Opinion ID: 1419202
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Failure to Instruct on Second Degree Murder and Manslaughter

Text: (27a) The court instructed the jury as follows: Although there are two degrees of murder, the evidence in this case is such that either the defendant is innocent of the charge of murder or he is guilty of murder in the first degree. Redmon contends that this instruction was incorrect and that the court should have instructed on second degree murder and manslaughter. (28) The trial court must instruct the jury on the general principles of law relevant to the issues raised by the evidence, even though not requested to do so. ( People v. Hood (1969) 1 Cal.3d 444, 449 [82 Cal. Rptr. 618, 462 P.2d 370].) The general principles of law governing a case are `those principles of law commonly or closely and openly connected with the facts of the case before the court.' ( Id. ) In other words, the trial court must on its own motion instruct the jury on lesser included offenses for which there is sufficient evidence in the record to support a verdict finding the defendant guilty. ( Id. at pp. 449-450.) Thus, the question here is whether there is sufficient evidence or indeed any evidence from which the jury could have found Redmon guilty of second degree murder or manslaughter. (27b) The only evidence concerning the circumstances and method of killing is the testimony of Diana which establishes that the murder was deliberate and premeditated. Redmon's only defense was alibi, and he did not present any evidence on his state of mind. Under these facts, the distinction between first degree murder and the lesser included offenses is not a principle of law ... closely and openly connected with the case. If the jury was convinced by the prosecution's evidence beyond a reasonable doubt it could come to only one conclusion  that the murder of Roy occurred after premeditation and deliberation. Since there was no evidence which would have warranted a finding of second degree murder or manslaughter, the trial court properly did not instruct on those crimes.