Harper v. State

478 So.2d 1017 (1985)

John L. HARPER

v.

STATE of Mississippi.

No. 55672.

Supreme Court of Mississippi.

October 16, 1985.

P. Zeb Jones, Jackson, for appellant.

Edwin Lloyd Pittman, Atty. Gen., by Leyser Q. Morris, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., Jackson, for appellee.

En Banc.

ROBERTSON, Justice, for the Court:

I

This appeal presents important questions respecting the nature and extent of the trial judge's responsibility with regard to instructing juries in the law in criminal cases. We answer these questions by declaring that, where under the evidence a party is entitled to have the jury instructed regarding a…