×
You've used up your 3 free articles for this month. Subscribe today.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Defendant Entitled to Self-Defense Jury Charge if There is Any Evidence to Support It
by Matt Clarke
On September 27, 2017, the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas held that a judge must issue a jury charge on self-defense in a prosecution for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon even if the defendant’s version of events supporting self-defense is weak, contradicted, or not credible. ...
Full article and associated cases available to subscribers.
As a digital subscriber to Criminal Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
More from this issue:
- Parallel Construction: Building Criminal Cases Using Secret, Unconstitutional Surveillance
- New York Times Investigation Spotlights NYPD Practice of ‘Testilying’, by Derek Gilna
- New Washington State Law Removes ‘Actual Malice’ Roadblock in Police Prosecutions, by Derek Gilna
- Arizona Supreme Court Announces Defendants May Claim Both Self-Defense and Misidentification, by Richard Resch
- Iowa Supreme Court Announces Indecent Exposure Statute Does Not Apply to Still Images of Genitals, by Dale Chappell
- $175,000 Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Alleging Officers Literally Tried to Feed Graffiti Suspects to K-9s, by Christopher Zoukis
- New Jersey Supreme Court Interprets Criminal Harassment Statute to Avoid First Amendment Problem, by Christopher Zoukis
- Prosecutors’ Offices Taking Thousands in Grant Money, Fueling Crackdown on Sex Buyers, by Steve Horn
- $325,000 Paid by Sheriff’s Office to Settle Fatal Shooting Case Over Not Wearing Seat Belt, by Derek Gilna
- Privacy Advocates Concerned About Google AI and Pentagon Drone Surveillance, by Derek Gilna
- Intellectual Disability and Wrongful Conviction in Death Cases: A Lethal Combination, by David Reutter
- Philadelphia Tests Automating the Bail Risk Assessment Process, by David Reutter
- Eighth Circuit: Teague Analysis Bars Retroactive Application of Padilla Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claim, by Christopher Zoukis
- The ‘Office Shuffle’: Ohio Police Recycle Bad Apples Among Rural Departments, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Civil Rights Lawyer Krasner Puts Justice Reform into Practice as New Philly DA, by Derek Gilna
- Mississippi Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Ruling; State Failed to Prove ‘Constructive Possession’ of Marijuana, by Dale Chappell
- Sixth Circuit Denies Qualified Immunity for Officers in No-Knock Home Entry Case, by Richard Resch
- Sentencing Court’s Grant of Prior Custody Credit was Not ‘Clear Error’ to Allow for Removal, by Dale Chappell
- NYU Students Form Dollar Bail Brigade to Help Free New Yorkers Held on $1 Bail, by Christopher Zoukis
- Illinois Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of Two Stalking Statutes as Unconstitutional, by Richard Resch
- Texas District Attorney Stops Prosecuting Trace Drug Cases
- Trenton Police Officers’ ‘Violent’ Comments Captured on Body Camera, by Derek Gilna
- Kansas Supreme Court Rules Grant of ‘Use’ Immunity Insufficient to Compel Testimony, by Richard Resch
- Massachusetts High Court Vacates Felony-Murder Conviction for Failure to Suppress Cellphone Search, by Christopher Zoukis
- Study: Unionized Police? Increased Misconduct, by Derek Gilna
- Utah Supreme Court Changes Course on Admissibility of Preliminary Hearing Testimony at Trial, by Christopher Zoukis
- 9th Circuit: District Court Improperly Deferred to Nevada Supreme Court in AEDPA Analysis, by David Reutter
- California Supreme Court Grants Habeas Petition and Vacates Capital Murder Conviction Due to False Expert Testimony at Trial, by Richard Resch
- Controversial Police Interrogation Technique That Often Results in False Confessions Abandoned by Influential Training Consultant, by Matthew Clarke
- $42 Million Paid Out in Decade of New Jersey Police Criminality, Abuse
- First Circuit Modifies Emergency Aid Doctrine for Warrantless Entry of a Home, by Richard Resch
- Texas Quietly Authorizes Nation’s First Public Safety Employees Treatment Courts, by Matthew Clarke
- Kansas Supreme Court Nixes Probation After Full Sentence of Confinement Served, by Edward Lyon
- Eleventh Circuit Holds Court May Not Dismiss 2255 Motion by Invoking Collateral Attack Waiver Sua Sponte, by Dale Chappell
- $300,000 Settlement in Suit Over Death of Intoxicated Man Abandoned by Deputies, by Matthew Clarke
- Wisconsin’s 6,000-plus Untested Rape Kits Include Over 2,000 Involving Child Victims, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Furtive Gestures, Brief Visit Not Probable Cause, by Dale Chappell
- Qualified Immunity: The Supreme Court’s Unlawful Assault on Civil Rights and Police Accountability, by Jay Schweikert
- Asset Forfeitures Fund New York DA’s Office Bonuses
- U.S. District Court in Georgia Holds Spousal Testimonial Privilege Applies to Pre-Marital Events
- N.C. Supreme Court Rules Deficient Indictment Not Jurisdictional and Issue Can’t be Raised for First Time on Appeal, by Dale Chappell
- The Sex Offender Registry: It’s Not What You Think, by Sandy Rozek
- Congressional Spending Bill Provision ‘Clouds’ Constitutional Rights in Criminal Probes, by Steve Horn
- Seventh Circuit Finds Plain Error Where Guilty Plea Accepted Without Rule 11 Colloquy, by Christopher Zoukis
- Guilty Plea Does Not Foreclose Challenge To Constitutionality Of Conviction, U.S. Supreme Court Decides, by Brandon Sample
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Defendant Entitled to Self-Defense Jury Charge if There is Any Evidence to Support It, by Matthew Clarke
- From the Editor, by Richard Resch
- N.Y.’s Top Court Clarifies Freedom of Information Exemption for Disclosure of Confidential Sources of Information, by Christopher Zoukis
- News in Brief
More from Matthew Clarke:
- DOJ Finds “Horrific and Inhumane” Conditions in Georgia Prisons, March 1, 2025
- Sixth Circuit Upholds $6.4 Million Jury Award Against Corizon Nurses For Michigan Jail Prisoner’s Fatal Alcohol Withdrawal, March 1, 2025
- En Banc Fifth Circuit Reverses Panel, Holds Mississippi Felon Disenfranchisement Does Not Violate Eighth Amendment, March 1, 2025
- USDC (D. Oregon), Case No. 6:22-cv-00451, Feb. 15, 2025
- Legal Gaffe Prolongs Case of Former St. Louis Detainee Held Eight Months After Dismissal of Charges, Feb. 15, 2025
- Among World Nations, Individual U.S. States Near Top of List for Per Capita Incarceration, Feb. 15, 2025
- DOJ Settles Complaints About Conditions for Disabled Detroit Jail Detainees, Feb. 15, 2025
- New York Prison Officials Found Routinely Violating HALT Act With Overuse of Solitary Confinement, Feb. 15, 2025
- Historic $7 Million Settlement in Lawsuit Over Michigan Jail Prisoner’s Fatal Beating, Feb. 15, 2025
- Suits Filed Over Dehydration Deaths at Two Texas Jails, Jan. 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- Massachusetts Supreme Court Vacates Threat-Based Conviction on First Amendment Grounds Because Jury Instructions Failed to Include Mens Rea Element Mandated by Counterman for ‘True-Threat’ Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Resentencing, Threats, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment.
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces Self-Defense Jury Instruction Does Not Require Intent to Harm or Kill Assailant, Oct. 1, 2024. Defenses, Jury Instructions, Motive/Opportunity/Intent/Identity Evidence.
- Fourth Circuit Vacates Where Instructions Failed to Inform Jury That Mens Rea of ‘Knowingly or Intentionally’ Applies to ‘Except as Authorized’ in 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), June 15, 2024. Jury Instructions, Essential Elements of Crime, Mens Rea Element, Elements of Offense, Failure to Instruct on Scienter Requirement.
- Kentucky Supreme Court Clarifies When Lesser-Included Offense Instruction Must Be Provided, Reverses Convictions Based on Trial Court’s Failure to Properly Instruct Jury, Dec. 15, 2023. Jury Instructions, Criminal Procedure, Fair Trial, Verdicts.
- California Supreme Court Vacates Second Degree Murder Conviction Where Jury Instructed on Now Invalid Felony-Murder Theory, Oct. 1, 2023. Jury Instructions, New Trial Motions, Murder/Felony Murder.
- New York Court of Appeals Announces When an Alternate Juror Is ‘Discharged’ and no Longer ‘Available for Service’, May 15, 2023. Jury Instructions, Jurors - Alternates.
- Hawaii Supreme Court: Plain Error Not Providing ‘Incidental Restraint’ Jury Instruction Where Kidnapping Only Charge After Dismissing Abuse Charges Prior to Trial, April 15, 2023. Restraints, Jury Instructions, Kidnapping, Abduction or Unlawful Restraint, Plain/Harmless Error.
- New Jersey Supreme Court: Allowing Jury to Hear Defendant’s Invocation of Right to Counsel in Recorded Statement Together With Prosecutor Inferring Guilt Based on Request for Counsel Entitles Defendant to New Trial, March 15, 2023. Jury Instructions, New Trial Motions, Counsel - Right to, Perjury/Perjured Testimony.
- Hundreds Convicted by Split Juries Will Have New Trials After Oregon Supreme Court Decision, Jan. 12, 2023. Jury Instructions, New Trial Motions.
- North Dakota Prisoner’s Conviction for Assault on Guard Vacated Due To Erroneous Jury Instruction, Oct. 31, 2022. Prisoner-Staff Assault, Jury Instructions.