Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Feb 7, 2023
State of Missouri, Respondent, v. Sara M. Eyler, Appellant.
Sara Eyler appealed her conviction for first-degree property damage after she threw a passenger's iPhone out of her car, claiming justification by necessity due to perceived threats. The circuit court refused her proposed jury instruction on justification and denied her motion for judgment of acquittal regarding the property value. The appellate court affirmed the judgment, finding no instructional error as there was insufficient evidence of an imminent danger to support the necessity defense, and concluding there was sufficient evidence that the property damage exceeded $750.