Andrew Barnett Missouri Cases

Andrew Barnett was convicted of first-degree assault and armed criminal action following a jury trial. He appealed, arguing the circuit court erred by refusing to submit a self-defense instruction, despite his denial of the stabbing. The Missouri Supreme Court vacated the judgment and remanded the case, holding that a self-defense instruction must be given if substantial evidence supports it, regardless of whether the defendant's own testimony contradicts that theory. The Court clarified and overruled prior cases that had created an exception based on the source or consistency of the evidence.