Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211 (2026)
Voluntary manslaughter
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) Voluntary manslaughter is the intentional or knowing killing of another in a state of passion produced by adequate provocation sufficient to lead a reasonable person to act in an irrational manner.
- (b) Voluntary manslaughter is a Class B felony.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 308, s 1, eff. 7/1/2023.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; T.C.A., § 39-13-207; Acts 1990, ch. 1038, § 4.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 304
cases (28 in the last 5 years), 1994–2026 · leading case: State v. Sims, 45 S.W.3d 1 (Tenn. 2001).
State v. Sims, 45 S.W.3d 1 (Tenn. 2001). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a) (1991 Repl.”
State v. Parker, 350 S.W.3d 883 (Tenn. 2011). “The crime of voluntary manslaughter is currently codified at Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-13-211 (2010) and is defined as "the intentional or knowing killing of another in a state of passion produced by adequate provocation sufficient to lead a reasonable person to act in…”
State v. Banks, 271 S.W.3d 90 (Tenn. 2008). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-202(d). 27 . Tenn.”
State of Tennessee v. LaJuan Harbison, 539 S.W.3d 149 (Tenn. 2018). “" Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211 (a). 11 Issues not raised at trial may be reviewed in the discretion of the appellate court for plain error when these five factors are established: (a) the record clearly establishes what occurred in the trial court; (b) a clear and unequivocal…”
State v. Ruane, 912 S.W.2d 766 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211. There is a distinction between evidence of prior acts of violence by the victim used to corroborate the defense theory that the victim was the first aggressor and that used to establish the defendant’s fear of the victim.”
State v. Johnson, 909 S.W.2d 461 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “” Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a). The defendant asserts that the evidence was insufficient for second degree murder *464 because the victim's death resulted from a mutual combat.”
State v. Elder, 982 S.W.2d 871 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1998). “Compare Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-202 with Tenn.Code Ann.”
State v. Williams, 977 S.W.2d 101 (Tenn. 1998). “" Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a)(1991). The jury reasonably could have accepted his testimony and convicted him of voluntary manslaughter, had that offense been included in the jury's instructions.”
State v. Goode, 956 S.W.2d 521 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “Defendant contends he shot the victim in response to a threat of being robbed with a knife.”
State v. Bordis, 905 S.W.2d 214 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “It is defined by statute as “the intentional or knowing killing of another in a state of passion produced by adequate provocation_” Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211 (Supp.1990). Finally, criminally negligent homicide, which has replaced the crime of involuntary manslaughter under our…”
Henry Zillon Felts v. State of Tennessee, 354 S.W.3d 266 (Tenn. 2011). “§ 39-13-211(a) (emphasis added). A reasonable attorney could conclude that it would have been difficult to argue both that Petitioner intentionally or knowingly attempted to kill the victim because his passion had been so provoked as to cause a reasonable person to act…”
State v. Belser, 945 S.W.2d 776 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1996). “” Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a). The court in Trusty held that “if the evidence would support a conviction for the offense, defendants are entitled to jury instructions .”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a) — 104 cases
State v. Sims, 45 S.W.3d 1 (Tenn. 2001). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a) (1991 Repl.”
State v. Johnson, 909 S.W.2d 461 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “” Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a). The defendant asserts that the evidence was insufficient for second degree murder *464 because the victim's death resulted from a mutual combat.”
State v. Parker, 350 S.W.3d 883 (Tenn. 2011). “The crime of voluntary manslaughter is currently codified at Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-13-211 (2010) and is defined as "the intentional or knowing killing of another in a state of passion produced by adequate provocation sufficient to lead a reasonable person to act in…”
Henry Zillon Felts v. State of Tennessee, 354 S.W.3d 266 (Tenn. 2011). “§ 39-13-211(a) (emphasis added). A reasonable attorney could conclude that it would have been difficult to argue both that Petitioner intentionally or knowingly attempted to kill the victim because his passion had been so provoked as to cause a reasonable person to act…”
State v. Ruane, 912 S.W.2d 766 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211. There is a distinction between evidence of prior acts of violence by the victim used to corroborate the defense theory that the victim was the first aggressor and that used to establish the defendant’s fear of the victim.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a)(1991) — 1 case
State v. Williams, 977 S.W.2d 101 (Tenn. 1998). “" Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a)(1991). The jury reasonably could have accepted his testimony and convicted him of voluntary manslaughter, had that offense been included in the jury's instructions.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211(b) — 7 cases
State of Tennessee v. Tre Desean Bell (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018).
State of Tennessee v. Steve M. Jarman (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018).
State of Tennessee v. Gary Wayne Ford (Tenn. Crim. App. 2020).
State of Tennessee v. Tyeshia Stewart (Tenn. Crim. App. 2012).
State of Tennessee v. Thomas David Johnson (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211(c) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. John William Matkin, III (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007).
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