[mlo]

"I also believe it is immoral to throw in other charges after the defense rests. You put on an entire case for charge “A” only to be judged on charge “B”. Complete BS."

It's not some unrelated charge, it's based on the same set of facts. The manslaughter charge is just murder 2 without the "depraved mind". The same set of actions hypothetically applies, and the same defense applies.

If it were some unrelated charge to which no defense had been presented you'd have a point, but it's not like that.

[fuzzylogic]

Sorry you’re wrong. It isn’t exactly the same defense. How can it be manslaughter if you’re found not guilty of murder by self defense? I’d want to try the case and hammer home anything related to manslaughter too. But it wasn’t on the table. Second, my point applies especially as they were an inch from charging him with child abuse.

This is a dishonest practice. The state should put all charges on the table first.