Caldwell v. Commonwealth

STEPHENS, Justice.

Appellant, Essie Darrell Caldwell, was convicted of murder and received a sentence of twenty years imprisonment. His appeal is before us as a matter of right.

Appellant shot and killed Ray Maggard on January 4, 1981. At trial his defense was self-protection, and an appropriate instruction to that effect was submitted to the jury. He also requested instructions on second degree manslaughter and reckless homicide on the grounds that the jury could reasonably believe from the facts presented that appellant acted “wantonly or recklessly” in believing that he was justified in…