United States Fourth Circuit

Defendant's firearm possession conviction is reversed where the district court erred in denying defendant's proposed justification instruction because a reasonable trier of fact could have found that defendant's possession was justified as self-defense.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/26/2009
• Decided 07/20/2009
• Published 07/20/2009

Judges

• Before GREGORY and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges, and JACKSON L. KISER, Senior United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, sitting by designation.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Ross Hall Richardson, Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellant.  Adam Christopher Morris, Office of the United States Attorney, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Claire J. Rauscher, Executive Director, Kevin Tate, Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellant.  Gretchen C.F. Shappert, United States Attorney, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellee.