Munson v. State

Munson was convicted in the criminal court of Shelby county of voluntary manslaughter, and has appealed. There is an agreement in the hill of exceptions that the conviction was warranted by the facts, and that the proceedings were regular, except that the presiding judge made a statement to the jury which was not in writing. This oral statement forms the basis of the only assignment of error.

In his regular charge, which was in writing, the judge told the jury,, in substance, thát, if they convicted the defendant of voluntary manslaughter, they would fix his punishment at confinement in the…