State v. Cooper

Harsha, Judge.

{¶ 1} William Cooper appeals his convictions for murder and felonious assault. First, Cooper contends that he was denied a fair trial because the trial court omitted a jury instruction on the defendant’s burden of proof in establishing his self-defense claim. We agree that the trial court should have instructed the jury on the burden of proof that was required of the defendant under R.C. 2901.05(A) to establish that he acted in self-defense. However, Cooper failed to object to this omission, so he has waived all but plain error. Because the error is so fundamental that it causes…