North Carolina Lawyers Weekly

Mar 24, 2026

Court of Appeals upholds manslaughter conviction, finds castle doctrine is not a ‘license to kill’

There was sufficient evidence to reject Defendant’s castle doctrine defense and no reversible error in the jury instructions or closing argument. We upheld Defendant’s voluntary manslaughter conviction. The case arose […]

Oct 31, 2023

Woman, father enter pleas in the beating death of her husband

LEXINGTON — The wife of an Irish businessman and her father entered pleas to voluntary manslaughter Monday in her husband’s beating death at their North Carolina home. Molly Corbett pleaded […]

Jul 9, 2018

Criminal Practice – Voluntary Manslaughter – Jury Instructions – Defense of Habitation – Curtilage

Despite numerous requests to leave and multiple orders from law enforcement, the decedent continued to return to defendant’s property while repeatedly threatening him with bodily harm. It is undisputed that […]

Jul 9, 2018

Retrial ordered for man who shot friend in yard

RALEIGH (AP) A North Carolina man convicted of fatally shooting a neighbor will get a new trial because the jury wasn’t properly instructed about his right to defend his home, […]

Jul 20, 2017

Criminal Practice – Voluntary Manslaughter – Automatism Defense – Hypoglycemia

State v. Coleman (Lawyers Weekly No. 011-213-17, 15 pp.) (Richard Dietz, J.) Appealed from Clay County Superior Court (J. Thomas Davis, J.) N.C. App. Holding: The trial court acted well […]

Dec 18, 2015

Criminal Practice — Unpublished Opinion – New Trial

State v. Hamilton (Lawyers Weekly No. 15-06-1155, 1 p.) (Per Curiam) Appealed from Halifax County Superior Court (W. Russell Duke Jr., J.) On discretionary review from the Court of Appeals. […]

May 20, 2015

Criminal Practice — Voluntary Manslaughter – Intentional Act – Circumstantial Evidence

State v. English (Lawyers Weekly No. 15-07-0502, 17 pp.) (Robert Hunter Jr., J.) Appealed from Brunswick County Superior Court (Claire Hill, J.) N.C. App. Holding: Although the direct evidence – […]

Apr 20, 2015

Criminal Practice — Voluntary Manslaughter – Jury Instruction Request – Involuntary Manslaughter – Stabbing

State v. Epps (Lawyers Weekly No. 15-06-0322, 1 p.) (Per Curiam) (Sam Ervin IV, J., not participating) Appealed from Gaston County Superior Court (Hugh B. Lewis, J.) On appeal from […]

Jan 19, 2012

Criminal Practice – Plea Agreement – Sentencing — Unenforceable – Voluntary Manslaughter

State v. Rico Where the sentencing judge failed to make any findings as to aggravating factors and failed to exercise his discretion in determining whether an aggravated sentence - as called for in defendant’s plea agreement - was appropriate, defendant’s original sentence was invalid as a matter of law.

Aug 18, 2010

Criminal Practice – Voluntary Manslaughter – Self-Defense – Evidentiary Discrepancies – Credibility – Jury Question

State v. Kirby. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-07-0807, 19 pp.) (Robert N. Hunter Jr., J.) Appealed from Wake County Superior Court. (Carl R. Fox, J.) N.C. App. Holding: Even though defendant’s […]