Case v. People

ERICKSON, Justice.

We granted certiorari to review the court of appeals unpublished opinion in People v. Case, 85CA1676 (Colo.App. Nov. 12, 1987), which affirmed the trial court’s refusal to submit a self-defense instruction to the jury. We affirm.

I

The petitioner, Patricia Mae Case, was charged with reckless manslaughter1 following an altercation in which she stabbed and fatally wounded Gregory Carter. Although the sequence of events and the evidence surrounding the stabbing conflicted and were hotly disputed at trial, certain conclusions can be drawn from the record before us.

Case and Carter…