Opinion ID: 2049057
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Defendant's Tendered Instructions on Self-Defense.

Text: Defendant next claims the trial court erred in refusing defendant's three tendered instructions on self-defense. A trial court's decision to instruct the jury is within its sound discretion, and we review that decision for an abuse of discretion. Fields v. State, 679 N.E.2d 1315, 1322 (Ind.1997). We consider (1) whether the instruction correctly states the law, (2) whether there is evidence in the record to support the giving of the instruction, and (3) whether the substance of the tendered instruction is covered by other instructions. Id. The trial court gave four instructions on self-defense, which collectively informed the jury that defendant had the right to defend himself against the imminent use of unlawful force, that he could use deadly force if he subjectively, but reasonably, believed that such force was necessary to prevent serious bodily injury, and that the State has the burden of disproving the defense beyond a reasonable doubt. See IND. CODE § 35-41-3-2 (1998). Defendant argues that the trial court erred in not giving what he describes as his more specific tendered instructions, but our review of those tendered instructions shows that, to the extent they correctly stated the law of self-defense in Indiana, they were covered by the substance of the trial court's instruction and for that reason, the trial court did not err in refusing them.