Instructions: Read the following facts scenario and answer the questions presented.
Facts Scenario: Lizzie and Katie, best friends, leave a movie theater after watching the latest romantic comedy. The movie theater has a small public park adjacent to its parking lot. The park has a reputation for criminal activity by juvenile delinquents. As Lizzie and Katie walk by the park, Katie is dragged by her hair into the back of the park by Jake (age 18). Lizzie trying to help her friend starts hitting Jake in the head with her purse and screaming for help. Hearing the noise, Paul enters the park to help Lizzie. Paul punches Jake in the face, making Jake pull away. Mike (age 16), Jake’s friend, sees Paul punch Jake, and he proceeds to punch Paul, knocking him out. Mike and Jake then start to approach Lizzie and Katie. Katie grabs a can of mace out of her bag and sprays both Mike and Jake. Lizzie and Katie run out the back of the park, screaming help. The ladies wander onto Rachel’s yard and start funning toward her house. Mike and Jake start chasing Lizzie and Katie. Rachel hearing the noise in the front yard grabs her shotgun. Seeing the men chasing the women, Rachel yells for the men to stop and shoots into the air, but this does nothing. Lizzie and Katie reach Rachel’s porch. Rachel sends them inside the house. Mike and Jake are almost to the porch when Rachel shoots Jake in the leg. Rachel cocks the shotgun as Mike enters the porch. Rachel and Mike start to struggle over the gun, when it accidentally discharges into Mike’s chest. Lizzie and Katie call 911. Paul will recover from his head wound. Jake will recover from his leg wound. Mike was dead at the scene. Through Jake’s medical treatment, he is found to be heavily intoxicated.
QUESTIONS: Determine if any defenses exist for the following defendant’s. Be sure to explain the type of defense and explain why the defense exists. What is the likely outcome of each case?
| Defendant | Charge |
| Lizzie | Assault and Battery for hitting Jake with her purse |
| Paul | Assault and Battery for hitting Jake |
| Katie | Assault and Battery on Mike and Jake with mace |
| Rachel | Assault and Battery for shooting Jake |
| Rachel | Murder for shooting Mike |
| Jake | Assault and Battery for dragging Katie into the park |
| Jake | Assault for chasing Lizzie |
| Mike | Assault and Battery for hitting Paul |
| Jake | Trespassing on Katie's property |
| Lizzie/Kate | Disturbing the Peace for screaming |
1) Defendant- Lizzie ,Charge - Assault and battery for hitting Jake with her Purse
She would most likely be not deemed guilty for the mentioned charges .She did not have any intent or pre planned violence against Jake .He barged into the scene with the intent to hurt the girls and pulled Katie from her hair.In the act of defense Lizzie had to do something to save her friend .In doing so she hit her with purse which barely stopped Jake from asserting violence.She would most likely get clean chit .
2) Defendant - Paul , Charge - Assault and battery for hitting Jake
Paul at the worst would be fined little amount of money but nothing significant because again he was not even involved in the incident ,He got called out by a friend who was in trouble .He jumped into the scene to help his friend and knocked out the delinquent out.Again things would have gone quiet had Mike not punched Paul.
3) Defendant -Katie , Charge - Assault and battery for hitting Mike and Jake with mace
Katie would not be deemed guilty for any of this because she was the one who got attacked by the violent juvenile.It's all done for self defense otherwise she would have put her life on danger .Even after getting help from two of her friends they still chased her .She was escaping and wanted to ensure her security .Yet again they came so she had to spray on Jake to stop him from getting more violent.
4) Defendant - Rachel , Charge - Assault and battery for shooting Jake
Rachel would not be deemed guilty as it's clear that even after getting knocked out by Paul or getting sprayed by Katie ,Jake still had violent and dangerous intentions of getting girls hurt .More so under the impression of intoxicants he would have put the girls life at danger.She shot him on his legs in order to stop him .If she had intentions of killing him then she would have shot him on his face.
5)Defendant - Rachel , Charge - Murder for shooting Mike
Rachel might get the decision to pay some amount of money to the family of deceased or get the organization or Government party to pay since it involves the death of a 16 year old .However she might not get more severe punishment than this because the deciding factor would be "Intent" which suggests that those boys were after them and they were just trying to save themselves or the people who were chased by the potential criminals.
6) Defendant - Jake , Charge - Assault and battery for dragging Katie into the park
Jake would most likely get convicted for the said charges because of the two key reasons - 1) He was under the influence of an intoxicant which made him a danger for others 2) He attacked the girls and got into physical violence with Katie .He was stopped on more than one occasion and still he chose to chase those girls .Being a 18 year old makes him liable to get punished with some jail time and heavy fine.
7) Defedant - Jake ,Charge - For chasing Lizie
Once again his intent to chase a person he didn't know before makes him a threat for others .He chased the person who tried to stop him for asserting violence on Katie .He would be fined with some decent amount for this crime as well .
Instructions: Read the following facts scenario and answer the questions presented. Facts Scenario: Lizzie and Katie,...