Jones v. State

565 So. 2d 1157, 1989 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 2496, 1989 WL 163461
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Jones v. State. Read the opinion of the Court — 514 So. 2d 1060
Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama·Decided December 29, 1989·No. 6 Div. 950·Published

Opinion

TYSON, Judge.

James Terrell Jones was indicted for capital murder in violation of § 13A-5-40(a)(2), Code of Alabama 1975. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of the lesser-included offense of murder, § 13A-6-2, Code of Alabama 1975, in compliance with § 13A-5-41, Code of Alabama 1975, and as so instructed by the trial court. The trial judge sentenced the appellant to life imprisonment in the State penitentiary and ordered him to pay restitution to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Fund in the amount of $1,959.90, which represents reimbursement for monies paid by the victim’s mother for burial expenses.

I

The appellant first contends that the trial judge committed reversible error by refusing to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offense of manslaughter.

The trial judge instructed the jury on capital murder and its applicable components, robbery in the first degree and murder. He then instructed the jury on murder, as a separate offense, and felony murder. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of murder.

The appellant’s counsel filed a written instruction covering manslaughter, which was marked “refused” by the trial judge. At the end of the jury instructions but before the jury retired to deliberate, the appellant’s counsel objected to the trial judge’s failure to include the instruction on manslaughter.

This court in Phelps v. State, 435 So.2d 158, 163 (Ala.Cr.App.1983) clearly enunciated the law in this area:

“The ‘safer’ practice is to charge upon all degrees of homicide: ‘(I)t is much the safer rule to charge upon all the degrees [1158]*1158of homicide included in the indictment, when a party is on trial for murder, unless it is perfectly clear to the judicial mind that there is no evidence tending to bring the offense within some particular degree.’ Pierson v. State, 99 Ala. 148, 153, 13 So. 550 (1892), approved in Williams v. State, 251 Ala. 397, 399, 39 So.2d 37 (1948).
“The controlling principles were stated by our Supreme Court in Chavers v. State, 361 So.2d 1106, 1107 (Ala.1978):
“ ‘An individual accused of the greater offense has a right to have the court charge on the lesser offenses included in the indictment, when there is a reasonable theory from the evidence supporting his position. Fulghum v. State, 291 Ala. 71, 277 So.2d 886 (1973). A court may properly refuse to charge on lesser included offenses only (1) when it is clear to the judicial mind that there is no evidence tending to bring the offense within the definition of the lesser offense, or (2) when the requested charge would have a tendency to mislead or confuse the jury. Lami v. State, 43 Ala.App. 108, 180 So.2d 279 (1965). In fact, our decisions are to the effect that every accused is entitled to have charges given, which would not be misleading, which correctly state the law of his case, and which are supported by any evidence, however, weak, insufficient, or doubtful in credibility. Burns v. State, 229 Ala. 68, 155 So. 561 (1934).’ ”
“ ‘(D)ue process requires that a lesser included offense instruction be given only when the evidence warrants such an instruction.’ Hopper v. Evans, 456 U.S. 605, 102 S.Ct. 2049, 72 L.Ed.2d 367 (1982). ‘Under Alabama law, the rule in non-capital cases is that a lesser included offense instruction should be given if “there is any reasonable theory from the evidence which would support the position.” ’ Hopper, citing Fulghum, supra. By statute, ‘(t)he court shall not charge the jury with respect to an included offense unless there is a rational basis for a verdict convicting the defendant of the included offense.’ Alabama Code Section 13A-l-9(b) (1975).”

See also Hill v. State, 485 So.2d 808, 809-10 (Ala.Cr.App.1986); Wyllie v. State, 445 So.2d 958, 963 (Ala.Cr.App.1983) (regardless of how incredible the appellant’s version of the facts may seem).

In the case at bar, the appellant testified that he was invited to the victim’s home on May 15, 1987. The appellant stated that the victim tried to make homosexual advances toward him, but that he, the appellant, refused to cooperate.

The appellant further testified that he was a drug dealer, and that the victim wanted to buy some drugs. He told the victim that the amount which he requested would cost $100.00. According to the appellant, the victim did not have the money, but he gave the appellant a television set and a pistol to hold until the next week, when the victim promised to pay the appellant the $100.00 for the drugs.

The appellant stated at trial that the two men had a discussion about the amount of drugs which were given to the victim. The appellant claimed that the victim got mad because of this discrepancy and because the appellant would not participate in the homosexual activities.

The appellant claimed that the victim angrily left the room, returned and continued to try and touch him, but the appellant still refused. The appellant then testified:

“Q What was his expression, if anything?
“A Like he were mad.
“Q Was he different then than he was before?
“A Yes. It wasn’t like he was a sissy or homosexual anymore, he was more man, like.
“Q What did he say?
“A That I wasn’t going to take his shit like that.
“Q What did you say?
“A ‘I’m not taking nothing, and you’re not getting anything back until you pay me for my dope.’
“Q Then what happened?
[1159]*1159“A Then he said, ‘Bitch, I’m going to kill you.’ He grabbed me on my shirt, I pushed him off; that’s how my shirt got torn.
“Q He said, ‘I’m going to kill you’?
“A ‘Bitch, I’m going to kill you.’
“Q ‘Bitch, I’m going to kill you’?
“A Yes.
“Q And grabbed you by the shirt?
“A Yes.
“Q Do you remember where you were in the house?
“A It was like right out there, from the den.
“Q And he ripped your shirt?
“A Yes.
“Q Is that this piece, right here?
“A Yes, sir.
“Q Does that look like the piece?
“A That is the piece.
“Q State’s Exhibit Number 40?
“A Yes.
“Q He ripped it off your body?
“A Yes, he did.
“Q Did you push him back, or what happened?
“A Yes, I pushed him off me.
“Q What happened next?

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Jones v. State, 565 So. 2d 1157, 1989 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 2496, 1989 WL 163461 (Ala. Ct. App. 1989).

565 So. 2d 1157 (Jones v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Edwards v. Arizona
451 U.S. 477 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Hopper v. Evans
456 U.S. 605 (Supreme Court, 1982)
Arizona v. Roberson
486 U.S. 675 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Lami v. State
180 So. 2d 279 (Alabama Court of Appeals, 1965)
Hill v. State
485 So. 2d 808 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1986)
Wyllie v. State
445 So. 2d 958 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1983)
Chavers v. State
361 So. 2d 1106 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1978)
Phelps v. State
435 So. 2d 158 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1983)
Fulghum v. State
277 So. 2d 886 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1973)
Williams v. State
39 So. 2d 37 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1948)
Burns v. State
155 So. 561 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1934)
Pierson v. State
99 Ala. 148 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1892)