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NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-172 (2026)

Verdict for murder in first or second degree

✓ current as of July 2026
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Nothing contained in the statute law dividing murder into degrees shall be construed to require any alteration or modification of the existing form of indictment for murder, but the jury before whom the offender is tried shall determine in their verdict whether the crime is murder in the first or second degree. (1893, c. 85, s. 3; Rev., s. 3271; C.S., s. 4642.)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 1952–2018 · leading case: State v. Rankin, 821 S.E.2d 787 (N.C. 2018).
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State v. Rankin, 821 S.E.2d 787 (N.C. 2018). · cites it 12× “” N.C.G.S. § 15-172 (2017); see also Hunt, 357 N.”
State v. Hunt, 582 S.E.2d 593 (N.C. 2003). · cites it 5× “Laws 76 , 76-77 (The relevant portion of the current version of the statute, N.C.G.S. § 15-172 (2001), provides the following: “Nothing contained in the statute law dividing murder into degrees shall be construed to require any alteration or modification of the existing form of…”
State v. Camacho, 446 S.E.2d 8 (N.C. 1994). · cites it 6× “§ 15-170 (1983) ("upon the trial of any indictment the prisoner may be convicted of the crime charged therein or of a less degree of the same crime"); N.C.G.S. § 15-172 (1983) ("the jury before whom the offender is tried shall determine in their verdict whether the crime is…”
State v. Talbert, 194 S.E.2d 822 (N.C. 1973). · cites it 6× “By Section Three is was provided that the division should not "be construed to require any alteration or modification of the existing form of indictment for murder, but the jury before whom the offender is tried shall determine in their verdict whether the crime is murder in the…”
State v. Watkins, 194 S.E.2d 800 (N.C. 1973). · cites it 3× “14-17) divided murder into two degrees, Section Three (now G.S. 15-172 (1965)) provided that the division required no alteration in the existing statutory form of indictment for murder, “but the jury before whom the offender is tried shall determine in their verdict whether the…”
State v. Simmons, 72 S.E.2d 743 (N.C. 1952). “4642, now G.S. 15-172, that the “jury before whom the offender is tried shall determine in their verdict whether the crime is murder in the first or second degree.”
State v. Cook, 96 S.E.2d 842 (N.C. 1957). “…is made to S. v. Matthews, 142 N.C. 621 , 55 S.E. 342 , and S. v. Bazemore, 193 N.C. 336 , 137 S.E. 172 ; also, G.S. 15-172. New trial.”
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