State of Tennessee v. Michael Taylor

Syllabus

A Shelby County Grand Jury indicted the Defendant, Michael Taylor, for first degree premeditated murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and violation of an order of protection. The Defendant, at his jury trial, was convicted of the lesser included offense of second degree murder as well as the charged offenses of unlawful possession of a weapon and violation of an order of protection. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed an effective twenty-five year sentence. On appeal, the Defendant argues the trial court provided an incomplete and misleading jury instruction on self-defense that prevented him from receiving a fair trial. Because the self-defense instruction was error and this error was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt given the particular facts of this case, we reverse the Defendant's convictions and remand this case to the trial court for a new trial on all counts.