Jackson v. State

David Earl Jackson was convicted for manslaughter, sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, and ordered to pay $5,000 to the Victims' Compensation Fund. Five issues are raised on this appeal from that conviction.

I

Jackson argues that the trial court erred in instructing the jury on manslaughter as a lesser included offense of murder and that the jury erred in finding him guilty of manslaughter because there was no rational basis for such a charge and conviction.

The trial court, on its own initiative, charged the jury on manslaughter. Since there was no objection the defendant is precluded from…