State v. Frei
Iowa Supreme Court
831 N.W.2d 70 (2013)
- Written by Paul Neel, JD
Facts
The state (plaintiff) charged Denise Frei (defendant) with first-degree murder for killing her common-law husband, Curtis Bailey. At trial, Frei raised two defenses: justification based on evidence of battered-wife syndrome and insanity based on diagnoses of depression and PTSD. The trial court rejected Frei’s proposed jury instruction on reasonable doubt, instead instructing the jury that if after full and fair consideration of all the evidence it was firmly convinced of Frei’s guilt, it had no reasonable doubt. The jury convicted Frei. Frei appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hecht, J.)
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