People v. Adrian

Opinion

BLEASE, J.

Defendant was convicted by a jury of assault with a deadly weapon. (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (a).) He seeks reversal for refusal of the trial court to give a requested Sanchez instruction that the defendant is entitled to an acquittal if the evidence raises a reasonable doubt of self-defense. (People v. Sanchez (1947) 30 Cal.2d 560 [184 Cal.Rptr. 673].) We hold that such an instruction must be given upon request whenever the claim of self-defense has been properly tendered and the evidence warrants submitting the issue to the jury. We also hold that, in light of the other…