Government of the Virgin Islands v. Knight
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
989 F.2d 619 (3d Cir. 1993)
Relevant factsFree
Knight (defendant) killed Miller when his gun discharged while he was striking Miller with it, claiming the discharge was accidental; the district court excluded an eyewitness's opinion testimony that the shooting appeared accidental, though it allowed the witness to testify Knight never pointed the gun at Miller or threatened to shoot him. Knight was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and appealed the exclusion.
IssueFree
Whether a district court errs when it excludes the testimony of a lay witness that, based on his observations, a gun discharging was accidental.