Crimins v. State

John Crimins, Jr., appeals his conviction for aggravated battery upon Jason Warren. He contends that the trial court committed fundamental error by giving the jury the forcible felony exception to the self-defense instruction where there was no evidence that he was engaged in a separate and independent forcible felony at the time of the claimed self-defense. We reverse.

Crimins was charged with attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery of Warren, aggravated battery of Mo-riah Mace, animal cruelty, and the misdemeanor offense of violation of a pretrial release condition in a domestic…