{
  "id": 8556422,
  "name": "STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. LESLEY SPENCER",
  "name_abbreviation": "State v. Spencer",
  "decision_date": "1974-05-01",
  "docket_number": "No. 742SC134",
  "first_page": "445",
  "last_page": "446",
  "citations": [
    {
      "type": "official",
      "cite": "21 N.C. App. 445"
    }
  ],
  "court": {
    "name_abbreviation": "N.C. Ct. App.",
    "id": 14983,
    "name": "North Carolina Court of Appeals"
  },
  "jurisdiction": {
    "id": 5,
    "name_long": "North Carolina",
    "name": "N.C."
  },
  "cites_to": [
    {
      "cite": "196 S.E. 2d 573",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.2d",
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "18 N.C. App. 323",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C. App.",
      "case_ids": [
        8549285
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc-app/18/0323-01"
      ]
    },
    {
      "cite": "197 S.E. 2d 232",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.2d",
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "18 N.C. App. 499",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C. App.",
      "case_ids": [
        8551616
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc-app/18/0499-01"
      ]
    },
    {
      "cite": "146 S.E. 1",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.",
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "196 N.C. 457",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C.",
      "case_ids": [
        8627574
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc/196/0457-01"
      ]
    },
    {
      "cite": "22 S.E. 2d 271",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.2d",
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "222 N.C. 148",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C.",
      "case_ids": [
        8629076
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc/222/0148-01"
      ]
    },
    {
      "cite": "171 S.E. 2d 475",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.2d",
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "7 N.C. App. 147",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C. App.",
      "case_ids": [
        8548585
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc-app/7/0147-01"
      ]
    },
    {
      "cite": "142 S.E. 2d 154",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.2d",
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "264 N.C. 524",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C.",
      "case_ids": [
        8574189
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc/264/0524-01"
      ]
    },
    {
      "cite": "119 S.E. 2d 461",
      "category": "reporters:state_regional",
      "reporter": "S.E.2d",
      "pin_cites": [
        {
          "page": "464"
        }
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0
    },
    {
      "cite": "254 N.C. 475",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C.",
      "case_ids": [
        8626914
      ],
      "pin_cites": [
        {
          "page": "478"
        }
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/nc/254/0475-01"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "analysis": {
    "cardinality": 190,
    "char_count": 2215,
    "ocr_confidence": 0.594,
    "pagerank": {
      "raw": 4.03580807328026e-08,
      "percentile": 0.20603517811270078
    },
    "sha256": "6cf232aae5b86b9e09f9c02070c81400135aa07401a023ce1381b6549423ca4f",
    "simhash": "1:932dc4cb5efb0c0b",
    "word_count": 396
  },
  "last_updated": "2023-07-14T21:32:29.924632+00:00",
  "provenance": {
    "date_added": "2019-08-29",
    "source": "Harvard",
    "batch": "2018"
  },
  "casebody": {
    "judges": [
      "Chief Judge Brock and Judge Parker concur."
    ],
    "parties": [
      "STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. LESLEY SPENCER"
    ],
    "opinions": [
      {
        "text": "BALEY, Judge.\nThe State contends that Harvey Ward was shot and killed by defendant\u2019s brother, Respess Spencer, and that defendant aided and abetted in the killing. Defendant could not be convicted as an aider and abettor, however, unless the jury first found that Respess Spencer was guilty of murder or manslaughter. Defendant contends (and his evidence tends to show) that Respess Spencer could not be guilty, because when he shot Harvey Ward he did so to protect defendant, who was being attacked by Ward.\nNorth Carolina law recognizes that \u201ca person may not only take life in his own defense, but he may also do so in defense of another who stands in a family relation to him.\u201d State v. Carter, 254 N.C. 475, 478, 119 S.E. 2d 461, 464; accord, State v. Todd, 264 N.C. 524, 142 S.E. 2d 154; State v. Holloway, 7 N.C. App. 147, 171 S.E. 2d 475. But the trial judge did not instruct the jury on this issue. He charged extensively on the right of self-defense, but he made no mention of the right to use force in defense of one\u2019s family. The failure to instruct the jury on this fundamental issue of the case constitutes prejudicial error. State v. Anderson, 222 N.C. 148, 22 S.E. 2d 271; State v. Dills, 196 N.C. 457, 146 S.E. 1; State v. Spencer, 18 N.C. App. 499, 197 S.E. 2d 232; State v. Spencer, 18 N.C. App. 323, 196 S.E. 2d 573.\nBecause of this error in the court\u2019s charge, defendant is entitled to a new trial.\nNew trial.\nChief Judge Brock and Judge Parker concur.",
        "type": "majority",
        "author": "BALEY, Judge."
      }
    ],
    "attorneys": [
      "Attorney General Morgan, by Associate Attorney E. Thomas Maddox, Jr., for the State.",
      "McMullan, Knott & Carter, by W. B. Carter, Jr., for defendant appellant."
    ],
    "corrections": "",
    "head_matter": "STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. LESLEY SPENCER\nNo. 742SC134\n(Filed 1 May 1974)\nHomicide \u00a7\u00a7 10, 28\u2014 defense of family member \u2014 failure to instruct\nTrial judge in a murder ease committed prejudicial error in failing to instruct the jury on the right to use force in defense of one\u2019s family.\nAppeal by defendant from Fountain, Judge, 20 August 1978 Session of Superior Court held in Beaufort County.\nDefendant was indicted and tried for the murder of Harvey Ward. The jury found him guilty of manslaughter, and he was sentenced to a prison term of 12 to 15 years. He appealed t\u00f3 this Court.\nAttorney General Morgan, by Associate Attorney E. Thomas Maddox, Jr., for the State.\nMcMullan, Knott & Carter, by W. B. Carter, Jr., for defendant appellant."
  },
  "file_name": "0445-01",
  "first_page_order": 473,
  "last_page_order": 474
}