State v. Ryder

DELAHANTY, Justice.

A jury in the Superior Court (Sagada-hoc County) found the defendant guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Harry L. Cressey on September 27, 1972. On appeal, the defendant assigns three prejudicial errors to the trial court’s conduct of the case as follows:

I

Refusal to permit a witness, under cross-examination by the defendant, to relate an exculpatory statement by the defendant;

II

Erroneous instruction to the jury on the law of self-defense;

III

Jury instructions containing an impermissible expression of the court’s opinion on the facts of the case.

We…