Patterson v. State
Court of Appeals of Indiana
729 N.E.2d 1035 (2000)
Relevant factsFree
Patterson (defendant) broke a window and entered the home of elderly homeowner Maciejewski, who heard the glass break, turned on lights throughout the house to investigate, and found broken glass and blood before police discovered a bloodied Patterson still lurking near the house; charged with attempted burglary, Patterson requested a jury instruction on the abandonment defense, arguing he had voluntarily stopped, but the trial court refused and he was convicted.
IssueFree
Whether a person who voluntarily abandons an attempt to commit a crime, thereby preventing its commission, may claim a defense of abandonment.