State v. Metcalfe

After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of manslaughter and carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The intermediate court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the circuit court did no abuse its discretion in denying Defendant's motion to dismiss the amended complaint; (2) the circuit court did not plainly err in allowing the testimony of two witnesses without formally qualifying them as expert witnesses and substituting the words "opinion testimony" for the word "expert" in the jury instruction; (3) the circuit court did not plainly err in instructing the jury on self-defense, in failing to sua sponte instruct the jury on defense of property, or in failing to provide a cautionary instruction on the use of medical marijuana; and (4) Defendant failed to establish that his trial counsel was ineffective. View "State v. Metcalfe" on Justia Law