Court Opinion

ID: 9538359
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:35:39.253497+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:57:47.573554
License: Public Domain

Roberds, P. J.,
dissenting in part.
I think the request of defendant for a manslaughter instruction should have been granted. The only evidence in the record as to the details, or manner, of the killing *671was the testimony of Jerry Lane Newell, the thirteen year old son of defendant. It is true, as stated in the controlling’ opinion, there is evidence defendant said he killed Mr. Sims, but nothing, except as given by Jerry, as to the detailed circumstances. Now, the State put this boy on the stand to testify against his father. He says he went with his father to the pasture to remove the body of Mr. Sims. He related this conversation:'
Q. “Before you got over there, did he tell you that he and Mr. Forest had had some trouble that day? A. Yes, sir.
Q. “After he told you that, what did you do? A. I didn’t do nothing. He said he had told him to keep his cows out of the patch over there and he said, ‘He didn’t give a damn’, and he hit him.
Q. “Did he ever tell you that he had killed Mr. Forest Sims? A. No, sir. He said that Mr. Forest hit him and then he hit him. ’ ’
If this testimony is true, and the State introduced it, Sims and Newell were having a personal difficulty about the pasturing of cows, and Mr. Sims hit Newell, and then Newell hit Sims. This testimony does not so disclose, but presumably, this hitting was with the stick as mentioned in the original opinion. This being a personal difficulty and fight, the jury might well have concluded defendant was acting in the heat of passion and was guilty of manslaughter and not murder. At least, regardless of probabilities as to results, defendant was entitled to the manslaughter instruction.
For many years, this Court has said it is proper to grant to the State a manslaughter instruction in murder charges, although there is no element of manslaughter involved under the facts of the ease. Surely then a manslaughter instruction ought to be granted defendant where, under the circumstances, elements of manslaughter are involved.