People v. Everette

The issue before this court is whether a homicide defendant is entitled to an instruction on self-defense when he testifies that he accidentally killed the victim. In People v. Lockett (1980), 82 Ill. 2d 546, 551, this court stated that “[a] self-defense instruction is given in a homicide case when there is some evidence in the record which, if believed by a jury, would support a claim of self-defense.” We continue to adhere to our statement in Lockett and now hold that a homicide defendant is entitled to such an instruction, even where he testifies that he accidentally killed the victim. In…