State of Tennessee v. Benjamin Brown

Case Number
W2006-02762-SC-R11-CD

The defendant was convicted of aggravated child abuse and felony murder in the perpetration of aggravated child abuse. The defendant appealed the felony murder conviction, and the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction. We granted permission to appeal and address the issue of whether the trial court committed reversible error by failing to instruct the jury on the  lesser-included offenses of felony murder, which include second degree murder, reckless  homicide, and criminally negligent homicide. We conclude that the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury as to these lesser-included offenses, and accordingly, we reverse the felony  murder conviction and remand the case for a new trial on the felony murder count.

Authoring Judge
Justice Sharon G. Lee
Case Name
State of Tennessee v. Benjamin Brown
Date Filed
Dissent or Concur
No
Download PDF Version