People v. Crue

Charge: murder. Jury trial. Conviction: voluntary manslaughter. Sentence: 5 to 20 years. Contentions on appeal: erroneous instruction on the use of force by an aggressor; State failed to prove defendant had not acted in self-defense; court erred in refusing to allow a character witness to testify for the defense.

Crue was charged by indictment with the murder of Roger Payne. He did not deny that he shot Payne, but argued that he had fired in self-defense. The events of the evening in question are sharply disputed. According to the prosecution witnesses, Crue had been arguing in the North End…