Opinion ID: 760987
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Brown's Primary Defense.

Text: 34 The state next argues that the Ake error was harmless because Brown's true defense was self-defense, not insanity. Brown testified at trial that he shot at Trooper Bench only because the trooper first began shooting at him, testifying that the trooper shot at him from inside his patrol car, through its front windshield. The evidence showed that Trooper Bench never discharged his weapon. The state argues that the lack of physical evidence supporting Brown's claim that he shot in self-defense demonstrates that Brown had the requisite intent to commit first degree murder, and that any error with respect to his sanity defense was, therefore, harmless. 35 Again, the state's argument essentially begs the question of whether Brown was sane at the time of the offense. One could reasonably infer from the evidence that Brown's paranoid and delusional thoughts concerning law enforcement interfered with his ability to understand events such that he was under a delusional belief at the time of the offense that the trooper was firing at him. A psychiatric expert for the defense could have given the jury important insight into whether Brown's belief that Trooper Bench was shooting at him was actually a product of his paranoid delusions. Moreover, while the state now argues Brown's true defense was self-defense, it asserted at trial that Brown's only defense was his statement that he heard machines. R., Trial Tr., Vol 7. at 1357. 36