"A few lives were taken in defense of life, home or property but most occurred in what Kentucky law terms "sudden heat of passion". Such cases arise in "sudden affray", when the killer is aroused by such provocation on the part of the person slain as "is reasonably calculated to arouse the passions of an ordinarily prudent person beyond his control". When such a killing occurs, Kentucky law permits the jury to reduce the homicide from murder to manslaughter and to impose a relatively lenient prison sentence. This is precisely what occurred in most cases." --from Night Comes To The Cumberlands by Harry M. Caudill (Jesse Stuart Foundation, 2001)
1 hour ago
5 comments:
ha - an unlikely (or maybe not) place to be reminded I've been meaning to read "Night Comes To The Cumberlands" for some time now.
Thanks Teach!
This reminds me of Wisconsin Death Trip.
Sounds reasonable to me.
The man with the hands on his hips is gonna go first.
They're trad, dad!
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