Court Opinion

ID: 9653840
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 17:56:51.092944+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:02.083589
License: Public Domain

MAUS, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The defendant testified that in getting and presenting the gun he was acting in self-defense against an attack by Inman. There was evidence from which the jury could find that to be true. If he was so acting, the criminal responsibility of the defendant for the death of the bystander has been appropriately summarized.
If, then, the perpetrator of the homicide or of the assault had no criminal intent in attempting to injure or kill another person, as where the perpetrator was lawfully defending himself from the harm sought to be inflicted upon him by such other person, the fact that, on that occasion, a third person was unintentionally injured or killed by the perpetrator would not make him liable, unless the perpetrator acted carelessly or without regard to the safety of innocent bystanders.
Annot., Self-defense — Unintended Injury or Death, 55 A.L.R.3d 620, 622-623 (1974) (footnotes omitted). Also see State v. Foster, 355 Mo. 577, 197 S.W.2d 313 (1946); LeFave & Scott, Substantive Law § 57(g) (1986).
When the defendant got the gun and held it in front of him, he was acting intentionally, even though he knew the gun was loaded and did not know if it was on safety. These are defendant’s acts from which the jury would have to determine whether or not he acted recklessly. In determining whether or not the defendant was entitled to an instruction on self-defense, the evidence must be viewed favorably to this hypothesis. State v. Ehlers, 685 S.W.2d 942 (Mo.App.1985). The defendant was entitled to have the jury consider whether or not those acts were justified.
“[I]t was the duty of the court to give a correct instruction upon the subject even though the instruction offered by the defendant was erroneous.” State v. Bounds, 305 S.W.2d 487, 491 (Mo.1957). MAI-CR2d 13.10 Manslaughter: Involuntary: Recklessly included paragraph Third submitting self-defense. Notes on Use 4 to that instruction in part provided: “When there is evidence to support the justifiable use of force, then paragraph (Third) must be given. In addition, the Court must give a separate instruction directing a verdict on justification.” MAI-CR 2d 13.10, Notes on Use 4 (1984 New).
Paragraphs such as paragraph Third have been eliminated from the verdict directing instructions in MAI-CR 3d. However, the requirement of such a paragraph *786when supported by the evidence in verdict directing instructions and a self-defense instruction is contained in Notes on Use 2 to MAI-CR 3d 306.06.
The pattern instruction MAI-CR 3d 306.-06 must be modified to submit the acts of the defendant being in self-defense against Inman. For the purpose of this dissent, it is not necessary to consider if that instruction need be modified to appropriately submit the accidental use of deadly force. Because of the failure of the trial court to give a self-defense instruction, I would reverse the judgment and remand the case. ■