Opinion ID: 2006788
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Refusal of instructions and verdict on lesser offenses and accident.

Text: The trial court instructed the jury and submitted verdicts on first- and second-degree murder but refused defendant's requests for instructions and verdicts on manslaughter, homicide by reckless conduct, and homicide by negligent use of a weapon. The trial court also refused defendant's request for an instruction on accident as a defense. This court has held that the trial court is justified in giving instructions and submitting verdicts on lesser offenses on homicide only where there is reasonable basis in the evidence for a conviction of the lesser offense and for an acquittal of the greater charge. Weston v. State (1965), 28 Wis. 2d 136, 135 N. W. 2d 820; Williamson v. State (1966), 31 Wis. 2d 677, 143 N. W. 2d 486; State v. Melvin (1970), 49 Wis. 2d 246, 252, 181 N. W. 2d 490. In State v. Carter (1969), 44 Wis. 2d 151, 170 N. W. 2d 681, this court held that instructions and verdicts on lesser offenses should be submitted where there is evidence for a conviction on the lesser offense and there is no reasonable ground on the evidence for a conviction on the greater offense. See also: Commodore v. State (1967), 33 Wis. 2d 373, 147 N. W. 2d 283. In this case there was no evidence to support a conviction on the lesser offenses or to support a finding that the stabbing was accidental. The manslaughter instruction requested in this case involved heat of passion and self-defense. This court has held that the heat of passion which will reduce murder to manslaughter, requires provocation such that the homicide is committed under extreme emotional disturbance for which there is a reasonable explanation or excuse. The heat of passion must be caused by reasonable provocation and must so overcome the exercise of judgment as to cause the defendant to act from impelling force of the disturbing cause. State v. Hoyt (1964), 21 Wis. 2d 284, 128 N. W. 2d 645; Weston v. State, supra . In this case, no evidence was offered that the defendant's action was provoked or that any provocation had the effect on his state of mind of rendering heat of passion a legal defense. Nor was there any evidence that the defendant acted in self-defense, using unnecessary force, or otherwise. Both homicide by reckless conduct and homicide by negligent use of a weapon are involuntary homicides, involving either negligence or recklessness. Secs. 940.06 and 940.08, Stats. There was no evidence that the death of the deceased was either negligently or recklessly caused. Nor was there evidence to rebut the intent presumed from the reasonable and probable consequences of the defendant's acts. Gelhaar v. State, supra . Therefore, the trial court did not err in refusing to give the instructions or submit the verdicts requested by the defendant.