National Wildlife Federation Inc. v. J. T. Glisson

Appellant was convicted of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, armed burglary and aggravated assault -- all arising from the same incident. We reverse because of two errors. We conclude that the court erred in precluding the defense from offering evidence of a long-standing personal relationship between the deceased and the accused to establish that the shooting was in the heat of passion and thus not premeditated. The trial court also erred in precluding the defense from cross-examining a key state witness about a pending criminal prosecution against the witness to show bias or prejudice.