Opinion ID: 2613258
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Requested Manslaughter Instruction

Text: Tilden claims that the trial court erred by refusing to give his requested instruction on manslaughter as a lesser included offense of murder in the first degree, arguing that the jury could have found that Tilden or Runningeagle either recklessly caused Mr. Williams' death or committed second degree murder upon a sudden quarrel resulting from provocation under A.R.S. § 13-1103(A). Runningeagle and Tilden broke through the Williams front door with a tire iron, barged into their home, and killed Mr. Williams by inflicting several head wounds and five stab wounds. There is no evidence to support a reckless manslaughter instruction. Nor does the confrontation between Mr. Williams and Tilden and Runningeagle, during which Mr. Williams yelled at the two to leave or he would call the police, support a manslaughter instruction on the basis of a sudden quarrel. Words alone are not adequate provocation to justify a manslaughter instruction. State v. Doss, 116 Ariz. 156, 568 P.2d 1054 (1977). The trial court did not err when it determined that a manslaughter instruction was not supported by the evidence.