Opinion ID: 1166413
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: feasibility of reduction to second-degree murder

Text: We do not find justification to reduce the conviction to second-degree murder and we believe it advisable to explain why. If the jury were to accept the evidence of the State and further believe the defendant capable of formulating the intention to kill Donna Poole, under a proper instruction concerning intoxication  the murder would, indeed, be in the first degree. There is circumstantial evidence in the record which could reasonably give rise to an inference of premeditation  for example: (1) Witnesses testified to previous altercations between the parties where the defendant slapped the deceased and pulled her hair; (2) there was forensic evidence of bruises on the deceased's arm which probably came from fingers; (3) witnesses testified that just prior to the shooting they heard a female yelling, Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!; and (4) defendant's statement discloses that he and the deceased had been having an argument, for some period of time, over a woman defendant had been seeing, and that just prior to the shooting the deceased stated that she was going to talk to the other woman and fix him up good. In these circumstances, we would not be justified in reducing the conviction and thus relieving the defendant of his obligation to society to stand trial for murder in the first degree on the charge of killing Donna Poole with premeditated malice and, if found guilty, to pay the price. Appellant's first-degree murder conviction is reversed. The conviction for killing an unborn child stands affirmed. The case is hereby remanded for a new trial on the charge of first-degree murder in the death of Donna Poole, in conformity with what has been herein expressed. Reversed in part and affirmed in part; and remanded for new trial.