State v. O'Hara

¶1 Under RAP 2.5(a), appellate courts may refuse to hear any claim of error not raised at trial. Even if claims are not raised at the trial court, a party on appeal may raise claims of “manifest error affecting a constitutional right.” RAP 2.5(a). Ryan J. O’Hara did not object to the self-defense jury instruction provided at his trial on a *95charge of second degree assault. The Court of Appeals held the trial court’s failure to provide a complete jury instruction on the definition of “malice” constituted a manifest error affecting a constitutional right and reversed O’Hara’s conviction. Because…