State v. Baker

MILLER, Justice:

The defendant, Margaret Baker, appeals her conviction for voluntary manslaughter and assigns as primary error that she was entitled to a judgment of acquittal as self-defense was shown as a matter of law. We agree.

The deceased, George Swims, was killed at a bar operated by the defendant and her friend, a Selva Rich. The autopsy revealed that the deceased had five gunshot wounds in various parts of his body. He had been drinking and, at the autopsy, he was found to have 0.18 percent alcohol in his blood.

The argument that led to the fatal shooting occurred after the deceased had…