Balkcom v. State

1. The defendant was indicted for murder and convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the commission of an unlawful act. The general grounds are abandoned. There are two special grounds. Special ground 1 complains because the court charged the jury in substance that if they had a reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant of the offense of murder they should acquit him as to that offense. Then they should go further into the case and inquire as to a lower class of homicide embraced in the indictment, that is involuntary manslaughter in the commission of an unlawful act. In this…