Opinion ID: 1255546
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Motion in Limine on Self-Defense

Text: Mierz asserts that the trial court erred in granting the State's motion in limine to foreclose argument on self-defense. Pet. for Review at 11-12. The record is clear that the only self-defense argument asserted below was defense of the coyotes. [5] At trial, Mierz's counsel assured the trial court and the State that Mierz's self-defense contention was only that Mierz was defending coyotes he thought he was entitled to possess, not that he was in fear of harm and defending his person. [6] The State's motion in limine and the court's ruling and order only concerned defense of property. Report of Proceedings at 55-58; Clerk's Papers at 51. The trial court did not bar Mierz from arguing or proving self-defense of his person. RCW 9A.16.020(3). Nor did the court bar Mierz from offering proof as to defense of property. As Mierz was not in lawful possession of the coyotes, he had no right to invoke RCW 9A.16.020(3) for defense of property. The trial court did not err in granting the State's motion.