Lawline.com

Texas criminal defense attorney George Parnham has defended many high profile criminal defendants including Andrea Yates and Clara Harris, and has been called upon to render opinions in the cases of Lee Boyd Malvo, Robert Durst, Kobe Bryant, and Scott Peterson.  In this program, Mr. Parnham discusses how to successfully establish a self-defense claim in order to defeat allegations of homicide or other violent crimes.  Mr. Parnham begins his presentation with a definition of self-defense under the Texas Penal Code and meticulously defines its objective and subjective elements.  He then examines the concept of provocation and how it potentially disqualifies a self-defense claim. Mr. Parnham also thoroughly reviews the two types of self-defense (deadly force and non-deadly force) with illustrative examples where each can be used.  This presentation concludes with an examinination on what factfinders often take into consideration when determining the reasonableness of an actor’s actions and the subjective mindset.  This program is a rare opportunity for Texas criminal law attorneys to learn winning self-defense strategies from one of Texas’s most renowned criminal defense attorneys.

Agenda:
I.      Introduction to Self-Defense in Texas (Definition and Elements) 
II.     Provocation by the Actor
III.    Deadly Force vs. Non-Deadly Force
IV.     Evidence of Past Aggressive Behavior
V.      Force in Defense of Third Parties 
VI.     Force in Defense of Property 
VII.    Practical Considerations
VIII.   Questions and Answers