State v. Hanton

Petitioner Solomon Hanton seeks review of a jury conviction of first degree manslaughter while armed with a deadly weapon. The Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction in an unpublished opinion. We reverse the Court of Appeals and remand the case for a new trial.

Petitioner and the victim were driving their respective automobiles in Bellevue, Washington, on February 25,1977. While leaving an intersection, petitioner pulled in front of the victim's car in such a manner as to cut him off, causing him to apply his brakes to avoid an accident. This apparently made the victim quite angry, for he…