State of New Hampshire v. Michael Munroe

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Hampshire held that the trial court erred both in striking the defendant’s pre‑trial notice of self‑defense and in admitting a medical professional’s testimony about the victim’s identity. The court reversed the assault‑by‑a‑prisoner conviction and remanded for a new trial, requiring a jury instruction on self‑defense if supported by some evidence. It also clarified that a notice of a pure defense need not include evidentiary support, and that a statement of identity alone does not satisfy the Rule 803(4) medical‑diagnosis hearsay exception.