Opinion ID: 2584134
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Self-Defense and Defense of Habitation

Text: {17} Defendant contends that he was entitled to jury instructions on self-defense and defense of habitation, and that the trial court committed reversible error in denying such instructions. The State points out that Defendant never requested jury instructions on self-defense or defense of habitation, and that trial counsel explicitly rejected such instructions. Accordingly, the State maintains that Defendant did not preserve his claim of error, and in addition, that such instructions were not supported by the evidence. {18} We initially note that Defendant did not request jury instructions on either self-defense or defense of habitation. Defendant first raised these issues in a post-trial motion for a new trial. However, we find that even if Defendant had requested and been denied such jury instructions by the trial court, there would be no error because there was insufficient evidence to warrant such instructions. {19} In order to warrant jury instructions on self-defense and defense of habitation, there must be evidence to support such instructions. See State v. Gaines, 2001-NMSC-036, ¶ 5, 131 N.M. 347, 36 P.3d 438 (stating that a defendant is not entitled to jury instructions on his or her theory of the case if no evidence exists to support it). Furthermore, the evidence must support every element of the defense. State v. Emmons, 2007-NMCA-082, ¶ 7, 141 N.M. 875, 161 P.3d 920. Whenever there is even the slightest evidence that the defendant killed in self-defense, the instruction should be given. State v. Sutphin, 2007-NMSC-045, ¶ 22, 142 N.M. 191, 164 P.3d 72. However, the evidence must be sufficient to allow reasonable minds to differ as to all elements of the offense. State v. Lopez, 2000-NMSC-003, ¶ 23, 128 N.M. 410, 993 P.2d 727 (citation and quotation marks omitted). {20} An instruction on self-defense requires evidence that (1) the defendant was put in fear by an apparent danger of immediate death or great bodily harm, (2) the killing resulted from that fear, and (3) the defendant acted reasonably when he or she killed. Id. ¶ 23 (citation and quotation marks omitted). {21} An instruction on defense of habitation requires evidence that (1) defendant believed that the commission of a felony in defendant's home was immediately at hand, (2) defendant believed it was necessary to kill the intruder to prevent the commission of the felony, and (3) the defendant acted reasonably. UJI 14-5170 NMRA. {22} Despite the State's and Defendant's dispute over the details of the facts leading up to the shootings, it is clear that the victims were shot while they were in their van, driving away from Defendant's trailer. If at any point Defendant was put in fear by an appearance of immediate death or great bodily harm, that fear could not have been present when the victims were fleeing in their van. Additionally, the victims could not have been attempting to commit a felony inside Defendant's home while they were fleeing in their van. State v. Niewiadowski, 120 N.M. 361, 366, 901 P.2d 779, 784 (Ct.App.1995) (holding that evidence that the defendant shot at two men as they ran away from him was insufficient to support a defense of habitation instruction). Overall, the evidence was insufficient to support a self-defense or defense of habitation instruction.