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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Defendant Entitled to Self-Defense Jury Charge if There is Any Evidence to Support It
by Matt Clarke
On September 27, 2017, the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas held that a judge must issue a jury charge on self-defense in a prosecution for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon even if the defendant’s version of events supporting self-defense is weak, contradicted, or …
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More from this issue:
- Parallel Construction: Building Criminal Cases Using Secret, Unconstitutional Surveillance
- New York Times Investigation Spotlights NYPD Practice of ‘Testilying’, by Derek Gilna
- New Washington State Law Removes ‘Actual Malice’ Roadblock in Police Prosecutions, by Derek Gilna
- Arizona Supreme Court Announces Defendants May Claim Both Self-Defense and Misidentification, by Richard Resch
- Iowa Supreme Court Announces Indecent Exposure Statute Does Not Apply to Still Images of Genitals, by Dale Chappell
- $175,000 Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Alleging Officers Literally Tried to Feed Graffiti Suspects to K-9s, by Christopher Zoukis
- New Jersey Supreme Court Interprets Criminal Harassment Statute to Avoid First Amendment Problem, by Christopher Zoukis
- Prosecutors’ Offices Taking Thousands in Grant Money, Fueling Crackdown on Sex Buyers, by Steve Horn
- $325,000 Paid by Sheriff’s Office to Settle Fatal Shooting Case Over Not Wearing Seat Belt, by Derek Gilna
- Privacy Advocates Concerned About Google AI and Pentagon Drone Surveillance, by Derek Gilna
- Intellectual Disability and Wrongful Conviction in Death Cases: A Lethal Combination, by David Reutter
- Philadelphia Tests Automating the Bail Risk Assessment Process, by David Reutter
- Eighth Circuit: Teague Analysis Bars Retroactive Application of Padilla Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claim, by Christopher Zoukis
- The ‘Office Shuffle’: Ohio Police Recycle Bad Apples Among Rural Departments, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Civil Rights Lawyer Krasner Puts Justice Reform into Practice as New Philly DA, by Derek Gilna
- Mississippi Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Ruling; State Failed to Prove ‘Constructive Possession’ of Marijuana, by Dale Chappell
- Sixth Circuit Denies Qualified Immunity for Officers in No-Knock Home Entry Case, by Richard Resch
- Sentencing Court’s Grant of Prior Custody Credit was Not ‘Clear Error’ to Allow for Removal, by Dale Chappell
- NYU Students Form Dollar Bail Brigade to Help Free New Yorkers Held on $1 Bail, by Christopher Zoukis
- Illinois Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of Two Stalking Statutes as Unconstitutional, by Richard Resch
- Texas District Attorney Stops Prosecuting Trace Drug Cases
- Trenton Police Officers’ ‘Violent’ Comments Captured on Body Camera, by Derek Gilna
- Kansas Supreme Court Rules Grant of ‘Use’ Immunity Insufficient to Compel Testimony, by Richard Resch
- Massachusetts High Court Vacates Felony-Murder Conviction for Failure to Suppress Cellphone Search, by Christopher Zoukis
- Study: Unionized Police? Increased Misconduct, by Derek Gilna
- Utah Supreme Court Changes Course on Admissibility of Preliminary Hearing Testimony at Trial, by Christopher Zoukis
- 9th Circuit: District Court Improperly Deferred to Nevada Supreme Court in AEDPA Analysis, by David Reutter
- California Supreme Court Grants Habeas Petition and Vacates Capital Murder Conviction Due to False Expert Testimony at Trial, by Richard Resch
- Controversial Police Interrogation Technique That Often Results in False Confessions Abandoned by Influential Training Consultant, by Matthew Clarke
- $42 Million Paid Out in Decade of New Jersey Police Criminality, Abuse
- First Circuit Modifies Emergency Aid Doctrine for Warrantless Entry of a Home, by Richard Resch
- Texas Quietly Authorizes Nation’s First Public Safety Employees Treatment Courts, by Matthew Clarke
- Kansas Supreme Court Nixes Probation After Full Sentence of Confinement Served, by Edward Lyon
- Eleventh Circuit Holds Court May Not Dismiss 2255 Motion by Invoking Collateral Attack Waiver Sua Sponte, by Dale Chappell
- $300,000 Settlement in Suit Over Death of Intoxicated Man Abandoned by Deputies, by Matthew Clarke
- Wisconsin’s 6,000-plus Untested Rape Kits Include Over 2,000 Involving Child Victims, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Furtive Gestures, Brief Visit Not Probable Cause, by Dale Chappell
- Qualified Immunity: The Supreme Court’s Unlawful Assault on Civil Rights and Police Accountability, by Jay Schweikert
- Asset Forfeitures Fund New York DA’s Office Bonuses
- U.S. District Court in Georgia Holds Spousal Testimonial Privilege Applies to Pre-Marital Events
- N.C. Supreme Court Rules Deficient Indictment Not Jurisdictional and Issue Can’t be Raised for First Time on Appeal, by Dale Chappell
- The Sex Offender Registry: It’s Not What You Think, by Sandy Rozek
- Congressional Spending Bill Provision ‘Clouds’ Constitutional Rights in Criminal Probes, by Steve Horn
- Seventh Circuit Finds Plain Error Where Guilty Plea Accepted Without Rule 11 Colloquy, by Christopher Zoukis
- Guilty Plea Does Not Foreclose Challenge To Constitutionality Of Conviction, U.S. Supreme Court Decides, by Brandon Sample
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Defendant Entitled to Self-Defense Jury Charge if There is Any Evidence to Support It, by Matthew Clarke
- From the Editor, by Richard Resch
- N.Y.’s Top Court Clarifies Freedom of Information Exemption for Disclosure of Confidential Sources of Information, by Christopher Zoukis
- News in Brief
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Alabama Prisoner’s Excessive Prison Violence Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit Upholds Most of Relief Ordered in Class-Action Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutionally Inadequate Mental Health Care in Alabama Prisons, Oct. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Upholds Denial of Qualified Immunity to Jail Supervisors Who Ignored Detainee’s Cranial Abscesses, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Reverses District Court’s Denial of Motion to Dismiss Some Defendants from Lawsuit Over Missouri Prisoner’s Suicide, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Grants Summary Judgment to Sheriff and County of Nebraska Jail Where Guard Sexually Assaulted Female Prisoner, Oct. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Orders Texas to Admit Incompetent Jailed Defendants to Mental Health Facilities Within 21 Days, Oct. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity to Detectives Who Revealed Prisoner Was Informant, Denies Him Anonymity, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Holds Federal Law Prohibits County Jail from Forcing Immigration Detainees to Perform Custodial Labor by Threatening Solitary Confinement, Aug. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Corrections Department Regulations Do Not Exempt Use-Of-Force Documents from Public Records Disclosure, Aug. 1, 2026
- DOJ Issues Memorandum Over BOP Employees Abusing Their Law Enforcement Credentials to Illegally Purchase Personal Firearms, Aug. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- South Dakota Supreme Court Affirms Prisoner’s Simple Assault on Guard Conviction Despite Four-Second Skip in Surveillance Video Footage, Oct. 1, 2026. Jury Instructions, Double jeopardy, Failure to Object, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Denial of Due Process.
- New York Ordered to Pay Prisoner $25,000 for Failing to Protect Him from Attack, Aug. 1, 2026. Failure to Protect (General), Defenses, Damages - Compensatory, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment, Deliberate Indifference.
- Washington State Supreme Court Ruling Supports Broad Immunity in Overdose Cases, June 1, 2026. Drug Overdose, Failure to Protect (General), Defenses, Immunity/Liability, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death).
- Oregon Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts Must Give Complete Oral Final Jury Instructions at Conclusion of Trial, Preliminary Instructions Cannot Substitute for the ORCP 59 B Charge, May 1, 2026. Jury Instructions, Jury Instructions in Jury Room, Grounds for Relief, Denial of Due Process, Right to Testify/Remain Silent.
- Aphantasia: Why Truthful Witnesses Can Sound Like Liars, Jan. 1, 2026. Jury Instructions, False Statements/Perjury, Self-Authentication, Voir Dire, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Eyewitness Identification, Character/Reputation/Propensity.
- Alabama Supreme Court Denies DOC’s Improper Venue Objection, Jan. 1, 2026. Defenses, Good Time, Habeas Corpus, Failure to Object, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- California Supreme Court Announces Pre-2009 Provocative Act Murder Convictions Are Not Categorically Ineligible for Resentencing Under § 1172.6, Dec. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Retroactivity, Murder/Felony Murder, Accessories and Accomplices.
- First Circuit: District Court Abused Discretion by Sua Sponte Raising Statute of Limitations Defense to Habeas Petition After Respondents Had Intelligently “Waived” It by Being Aware of Availability but Failing to Assert It, Nov. 15, 2025. Defenses, Limitations, Habeas Corpus, Double jeopardy, Knowingly and Intelligently.
- Third Circuit: Where Prosecutor “Flooded” Jury Trial With Evidence of Defendant’s Prior Bad Acts, Counsel Was Constitutionally Ineffective in Not Seeking Contemporaneous Limiting Instructions and Not Objecting When Evidence Went Beyond Limited Purpose –, Oct. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Strickland Standard, Failure to Preserve Challenge, Motive/Opportunity/Intent/Identity Evidence, Bad Acts Evidence.
- Illinois Supreme Court Announces Conviction for Attempted First Degree Murder Requires ‘Intent to Kill Without Lawful Justification, Aug. 1, 2025. Jury Instructions, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Inconsistent.





