State v. Brechon

TODD, Justice.

Appellants were arrested at Honeywell corporate headquarters in Minneapolis and charged with trespassing. Prior to trial the state moved to prevent defendants from presenting evidence pertaining to necessity or justification defenses unless certain conditions were met. The state also sought to preclude defendants from asserting a “claim of right” defense. The trial court ruled that the state had the burden of disproving “claim of right” and that defendants could offer evidence about their reasons for committing the act, whether because of moral, political or religious beliefs,…