Jarvis v. State

Summary

The Supreme Court of Maryland held that the trial court properly declined to instruct the jury on imperfect self-defense because the evidence did not show that Jarvis subjectively believed stabbing the victim was necessary for his safety. The court distinguished evidence of fear or an intent to use nondeadly force from evidence of a subjective belief that deadly force was necessary, and therefore did not reach harmless error. The judgment affirming Jarvis’s convictions was affirmed.