Opinion ID: 1722366
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Imperfect Self-defense Instruction

Text: Baze claims that the alleged failure by the trial judge to instruct on imperfect self-defense was reversible error. We disagree. The instructions given by the trial court were proper. There is no dispute that Baze knew that the Sheriff and his Deputy were police officers. He knew their purpose was to arrest him when they came to the cabin. Deputy Briscoe had earlier advised Baze of the charges. The Deputy, when confronted by an SKS assault rifle in the hands of Baze told him that he would not go up against such a rifle with a pistol and that he would return with backup. Briscoe did return with the Sheriff. Baze knew that valid charges existed as the reason for his arrest. His claim that he thought the charges were false is utterly self-serving and has no objective merit. There was no evidence to justify a wanton or reckless self-defense instruction in this case. KRS 503.060(1) prohibits the use of any force on a police officer for the sole purpose of resisting arrest. There was never any testimony that Deputy Briscoe went for his gun during the first encounter at the Baze cabin. Baze's wife testified that she thought that Briscoe was going for his gun and hollered. Moments later, Baze shot the first two volleys into Briscoe's back. The self-defense instructions used here were qualified by the provisions of KRS 503.090 and KRS 503.060. There was no error. Even though a defendant may believe that deadly physical force is necessary to protect himself against unlawful force by another, the use of such force is not justifiable when the defendant is resisting arrest by a police officer recognized to be acting under color of official authority and using no more force than reasonably necessary to effect the arrest even though the arrest is unlawful. Neither Shannon v. Commonwealth, Ky., 767 S.W.2d 548 (1989) nor Holbrook v. Commonwealth, Ky., 813 S.W.2d 811 (1991), are applicable.