James Franklin Reeves v. Amos E. Reed

Reeves successfully attacked his 1976 conviction for voluntary manslaughter in a ha-beas corpus proceeding before the district court. The court found that defective jury instructions at trial improperly placed the burden of proof upon Reeves, depriving him of due process. 452 F.Supp. 783 (W.D.N.C. 1978). The court granted relief and ordered a new trial. We reverse, for we think the jury charge, when viewed in its entirety, correctly and adequately placed the burden of proof upon the state and not upon defendant Reeves.

I

Reeves shot and killed Billy Edward Chasteen during the early morning…