FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1374
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECOOK.
2914H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection563.031,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtoself-
defense.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section563.031,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection563.031,toreadasfollows:
563.031.1.Apersonmay,subjecttotheprovisionsofsubsection2ofthissection,
2usephysicalforceuponanotherpersonwhenandtotheextentheorshereasonablybelieves
3suchforcetobenecessarytodefendhimselforherselforathirdpersonfromwhatheorshe
4reasonablybelievestobetheuseorimminentuseofunlawfulforcebysuchotherperson,
5unless:
6 (1)Theactorwastheinitialaggressor;exceptthatinsuchcasehisorheruseofforce
7isneverthelessjustifiableprovided:
8 (a)Heorshehaswithdrawnfromtheencounterandeffectivelycommunicatedsuch
9withdrawaltosuchotherpersonbutthelatterpersistsincontinuingtheincidentbytheuseor
10threateneduseofunlawfulforce;or
11 (b)Heorsheisalawenforcementofficerandassuchisanaggressorpursuantto
12section563.046;or
13 (c)Theaggressorisjustifiedundersomeotherprovisionofthischapterorother
14provisionoflaw;
15 (2)Underthecircumstancesastheactorreasonablybelievesthemtobe,theperson
16whomheorsheseekstoprotectwouldnotbejustifiedinusingsuchprotectiveforce;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 (3)Theactorwasattemptingtocommit,committing,orescapingafterthe
18commissionofaforciblefelony.
19 2.Apersonshallnotusedeadlyforceuponanotherpersonunderthecircumstances
20specifiedinsubsection1ofthissectionunless:
21 (1)Heorshereasonablybelievesthatsuchdeadlyforceisnecessarytoprotect
22himself,orherselforherunbornchild,oranotheragainstdeath,seriousphysicalinjury,or
23anyforciblefelony;
24 (2)Suchforceisusedagainstapersonwhounlawfullyenters,remainsafter
25unlawfullyentering,orattemptstounlawfullyenteradwelling,residence,placeof
26employment,orvehiclelawfullyoccupiedbysuchperson;or
27 (3)Suchforceisusedagainstapersonwhounlawfullyenters,remainsafter
28unlawfullyentering,orattemptstounlawfullyenterprivatepropertythatisownedorleased
29byanindividual,orisoccupiedbyanindividualwhohasbeengivenspecificauthoritybythe
30propertyownertooccupytheproperty,orisaretailestablishmentorotherplaceof
31businesswhereinanindividualusingsuchforcehasarighttobe,claimingajustification
32ofusingprotectiveforceunderthissection.
33 3.Apersondoesnothaveadutytoretreat:
34 (1)Fromadwelling,residence,placeofemployment,orvehiclewherethepersonis
35notunlawfullyenteringorunlawfullyremaining;
36 (2)Fromprivatepropertythatisownedorleasedbysuchindividual;or
37 (3)Ifthepersonisinanyotherlocationsuchpersonhastherighttobe.
38 4.Thejustificationaffordedbythissectionextendstotheuseofphysicalrestraintas
39protectiveforceprovidedthattheactortakesallreasonablemeasurestoterminatetherestraint
40assoonasitisreasonabletodoso.
41 5.Thedefendantshallhavetheburdenofinjectingtheissueofjustificationunderthis
42section.Ifadefendantassertsthathisorheruseofforceisdescribedundersubdivision(2)of
43subsection2ofthissection,theburdenshallthenbeonthestatetoprovebeyondareasonable
44doubtthatthedefendantdidnotreasonablybelievethattheuseofsuchforcewasnecessaryto
45defendagainstwhatheorshereasonablybelievedwastheuseorimminentuseofunlawful
46force.
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HB1374 2