Perugi v. State

The plaintiff in error was convicted of murder in the first degree, and sent to state prison for life. He now seeks to have such conviction reviewed by this court on the ground of certain alleged errors in refusing to instruct, and in misdirection of, the jury.

1. The principal ground of defense was that the killing was done in self-defense. Counsel for the accused asked the court to instruct the jury as follows: “You are instructed' that the law is that in the assault of a powerful man upon a weaker the necessity of taking life in self-defense will be more easily discoverable than in an…