State v. Buntrock

OPINION

STRINGER, Justice.

This case raises the issue of whether a teenager convicted of first degree murder, who wanted to steal the family car to run away with his girlfriend and strangled his mother to death because she might have thwarted his escape, was entitled to an instruction on “heat of passion” manslaughter because he was high on drugs and provoked by his mother’s “verbal attack.” We are also asked to decide whether there is sufficient evidence to sustain appellant’s conviction.

The appellant, Michael Buntrock, is the son of Diane and Ronald Buntrock. Appellant was indicted and tried…