Opinion ID: 2240273
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Instruction on Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter

Text: Appellant argues that the trial court erred by failing to give correct instructions on the lesser included offense of attempted voluntary manslaughter. He maintains that the instructions read to the jury contained contradictions and ambiguities which rendered it unclear whether the jury was charged on the law of attempted voluntary manslaughter or voluntary manslaughter. The court charged the jury with two instructions on attempted voluntary manslaughter which were similar to those tendered by Hensley. Appellant concedes that he did not adequately preserve this issue for appellate review by objecting when the instructions were read but requests we address this issue under the doctrine of fundamental error. In order to rise to the level of fundamental error, the error must constitute a clearly blatant violation of basic and elementary principles, and the resulting harm or potential for harm must be substantial. Wright v. State (1985), Ind., 474 N.E.2d 89. Charging the jury with the challenged instructions was error, not because of the substance of the charge, but because there was no evidence in the record of provocation or sudden heat. An instruction on attempted voluntary manslaughter is proper only when there is some evidence of provocation or sudden heat to support it. Cf. McCarty v. State (1986), Ind., 496 N.E.2d 379; Malott v. State (1985), Ind., 485 N.E.2d 879 (proper for trial court to refuse tendered instructions which are not supported by the evidence.) In this case, appellant's substantial rights were not prejudiced by the recitation of these instructions. Hensley was not entitled to an instruction on attempted voluntary manslaughter and thus giving an incorrect definition of that offense cannot be a basis for reversal of the attempted murder conviction. The jury clearly had adequate evidence before it to find that appellant was guilty of attempted murder.