Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jul 3, 2018
State of Missouri vs. Ashley Nicole Zuidema
Ashley Nicole Zuidema appealed her conviction for second-degree burglary, arguing the trial court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on the defense of justification by necessity. Zuidema claimed she entered a home due to car trouble and freezing temperatures, but the court found she had legal alternatives and her situation was partly her own fault. The appellate court affirmed the conviction, concluding that the facts presented were not legally sufficient to support the necessity defense instruction.