Snell v. United States

FERREN, Senior Judge:

Appellant was convicted of simple assault, D.C.Code § 22-504 (1998 Supp.), at a bench trial on January 22, 1999, and sentenced to six months’ probation. On appeal, he contends (1) that the trial court erred in rejecting his self-defense claim, and (2) that he was denied effective assistance of counsel. We affirm.

I

The evidence of self-defense, according to appellant’s testimony, showed that complainant threw an empty bottle into a vacant lot; that appellant approached and admonished complainant to throw his trash into his own neighborhood; that complainant advanced to…