People v. Santiago

Defendant stood trial on an indictment charging him with the intentional murder of Richard Klyvert, committed by stabbing the deceased in the chest with a knife. At trial defendant interposed a defense of justification. The testimony at trial conflicted as to who initiated the struggle between defendant and the deceased and as to some of the details of the fight. There was also testimony introduced that the deceased had a known reputation for violence. Defendant himself so testified, stating that he was aware of the deceased’s boast that he could kill with his bare hands. Suffice it to say,…