Opinion ID: 1972559
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Jury Instruction on Self-defense

Text: Defendant next argues that the court erred in refusing his request for an instruction on self-defense. With certain exceptions, a person is justified in using a reasonable degree of nondeadly force on another in order to defend himself from what he reasonably believes to be the imminent use of unlawful, nondeadly force by the other, and is justified in using deadly force when he reasonably believes it necessary and reasonably believes that the other person is about to use unlawful, deadly force against him. 17-A M.R.S.A. § 108 (1983 & Supp. 1994). A self-defense instruction is warranted when a defendant meets his burden of going forward with evidence of such nature and quality as to raise the issue of self-defense and justify a reasonable doubt of guilt if upon the whole evidence the fact finder entertains such a doubt. State v. Philbrick, 481 A.2d 488, 492 (Me.1984) (quoting State v. Larrivee, 479 A.2d 347 (Me. 1984)). See also State v. O'Brien, 434 A.2d 9, 13 (Me.1981). Evidence generating the issue of self-defense may be presented by either party. Philbrick, 481 A.2d at 492. The evidence in this case, however, does not generate the issue of self-defense. There is no evidence that the victim was about to use unlawful force on defendant when he hit her with the bat. Any force used by the victim in attempting to keep defendant from hitting her car was justified to prevent criminal mischief. See 17-A M.R.S.A. § 105 (1983). Defendant attempts to portray the victim as twice provoking him into arguments, first, when she pulled a telephone cord out of the wall inside the trailer, and second, when she walked up to him when he was allegedly breaking her car window. Regardless of who was the aggressor inside the trailer, there is simply no evidence that the victim provoked defendant into hitting her with the bat in order to defend himself. Defendant's argument on appeal that if the victim was hurt, it was during defendant's attempt to wrest the bat from her and get rid of it has no support in the record. The victim testified that defendant hit her with the bat, and when she picked up the bat and went to swing it at him, he grabbed it and threw it over the trailer. There was no other testimony on this point. The Superior Court did not err in declining to instruct the jury on self-defense. Finally, we reject defendant's argument that the evidence was insufficient to establish the required elements for aggravated assault and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. The jury rationally could have found beyond a reasonable doubt every element of the crimes. See State v. Barry, 495 A.2d 825, 826 (Me.1985). Defendant's remaining arguments are without merit and require no discussion. The entry is: Judgments affirmed. All concurring.