State v. Engels

Engels, who is a State Fish and Game Warden, was convicted of an atrocious assault and battery committed upon one Frank Perona by shooting him with a .22 caliber revolver. Engels' defense was this: He was about to search Perona's light automobile truck for game under authority of R.S. 23:10-20; Perona attacked him, and he shot in self-defense.

A few minutes before the shooting, Engels, who was in an automobile, had stopped Perona's truck on the highway to search it. There were high words between the two men. It is not clear whether Engels completed his examination of the contents of the truck…