Ward v. State

Appellant, Brandon Michael Ward, challenges his convictions and sentences for second-degree murder and attempted second-degree on several grounds, three of which merit discussion. First, the trial court erred in instructing the jury on the charge of attempted first-degree murder that one of the victims was justified in using non-deadly force against Appellant if the victim reasonably believed that he was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. The substitution of the victim’s name for the defendant’s name in the standard jury instruction on the justifiable use of non-deadly force…