Court of Appeals hears challenge to jury instructions in Carl Johnson manslaughter case

The Utah Court of Appeals heard argument in the appeal of Carl Johnson, who was convicted of manslaughter after shooting a man identified in the record as Tom. Defense counsel argued the trial court’s jury instructions failed to inform jurors that two distinct affirmative self‑defense doctrines were on the table, and that one instruction’s phrasing effectively required a manslaughter verdict even if perfect self‑defense should have led to acquittal.

Why it matters: If the appellate court agrees that the instructions misled jurors about the legal options available, the manslaughter conviction could be reversed or remanded for new proceedings. The case raises a broader question about how trial courts instruct lay jurors on technical differences in self‑defense law.

Defense argument

Emily Adams, who identified herself as counsel for the appellant, told the…