State v. Niles

Richard Bill Niles, Jr. was convicted of murder, armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during the commission of *518a violent crime. The court of appeals reversed Respondent’s murder conviction and remanded for a new trial, finding the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offense of voluntary manslaughter. State v. Niles, 400 S.C. 527, 735 S.E.2d 240 (Ct.App.2012).1 We reverse.

Facts/Procedural Background

This case arises from the shooting death of James Salter (the victim) in a Best Buy parking lot in Myrtle Beach. It is undisputed that Niles, his fiancé,…