Andrea Shaunte Straughter Missouri Cases

Andrea Straughter appealed her convictions for assault and armed criminal action, arguing the circuit court erred by refusing to give a "castle doctrine" self-defense jury instruction. The Missouri Supreme Court found that substantial evidence supported giving the instruction and that the circuit court's failure to do so prejudiced Straughter. Consequently, the Court vacated the judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings.

Andrea Shaunte Straughter appealed her convictions for first-degree assault and armed criminal action, arguing the trial court erred by precluding voir dire questioning and denying a jury instruction on the Castle Doctrine, and by allowing questioning about her social media videos without prior disclosure. The appellate court affirmed the judgment. It found no substantial evidence to support a Castle Doctrine instruction because the victim did not unlawfully enter Straughter's vehicle, and no plain error regarding the social media videos as the State did not possess them earlier and no manifest injustice resulted.