King v. State

Andre King was convicted for the manslaughter of Charles Williams. Our review convinces us that the trial judge invaded the province of the jury in his oral refusal to charge on self-defense.

The trial judge improperly refused to instruct the jury on the law of self-defense.

The State proved that the defendant stabbed Williams after having threatened "to get him." The defendant's evidence proved that, sometime before the stabbing, Williams had "frightened" the defendant and attempted to provoke a fight. After this incident, which apparently involved the woman the defendant was to marry the next…