Does the doctrine of imperfect self-defense apply to reduce the killing from murder to voluntary manslaughter?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Melgoza, G042751, Super. Ct. No. 07ZF0012 (Cal. App. 2011):
a defendant kills in the actual but unreasonable belief that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily injury, the doctrine of 'imperfect self-defense' applies to reduce the killing from murder to voluntary manslaughter. [Citations.]" (People v. Cruz (2008) 44 Cal.4th 636, 664.)
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