People v. Foster

Defendant, Willie Earl Foster, was convicted of murder in a jury trial and was sentenced to 15 to 20 years in the penitentiary. On appeal he contends he was denied a fair trial on the following grounds: (1) the trial court refused to give a jury instruction on self-defense; (2) the court barred defense testimony concerning the victim’s reputation for violence; (3) the court erroneously instructed the jury that defendant had confessed; and (4) the prosecution commented on defendant’s post-arrest silence in an improper manner.

We reverse and remand for a new trial.

Although defendant does not…