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405 So. 2d 697

Williamson v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama

Decided August 28, 1981

Supreme Court of Alabama · decided 1981-08-28

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently October 1981

1 state decisions

Relies on Beck v. Alabama · Roberts v. Louisiana · 396 So. 2d 645 - Beck v. State

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1981-08-28

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MADDOX, JONES and ADAMS, Justices

¶1(concurring specially):

¶2By concurring specially we adhere to the views expressed in our respective opinions in Ritter v. State, 403 So.2d 154 (Ala. 1981), to the effect that we would not reverse the conviction in any case in which the record of trial affirmatively precludes any showing which would entitle the defendant to a jury instruction on a lesser included offense.

¶3Because the per curiam opinion mandates a retrial on the issue of guilt, as well as the issue of sentence, we re-emphasize the proposition that an instruction on a lesser included offense is required “on any lesser included offense supported by the evidence,” Beck v. State, 396 So.2d 645, 657 (Ala. 1980), but an instruction on a lesser included offense would be appropriate only if there was evidence which would support the giving of such an instruction. Roberts v. Louisiana, 428 U.S. 325, 96 S.Ct. 3001, 49 L.Ed.2d 974 (1976), Beck v. Alabama, 447 U.S. 625, 100 S.Ct. 2382, 2386, 65 L.Ed.2d 392 (footnote 7) (1980).

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