Section 2672 | CALCRIM (Jury Instructions)

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Mental State for Assault. People v. Williams (2001) 26 Cal.4th 779, 790 [111
Cal.Rptr.2d 114, 29 P.3d 197].
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Least Touching. People v. Myers (1998) 61 Cal.App.4th 328, 335 [71 Cal.Rptr.2d
518] [citing People v. Rocha (1971) 3 Cal.3d 893, 899–900, fn. 12 [92 Cal.Rptr.
172, 479 P.2d 372]].
LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSES
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Simple Assault. Pen. Code, § 240.
RELATED ISSUES
Resisting Arrest
“[A] person may not use force to resist any arrest, lawful or unlawful, except that
he may use reasonable force to defend life and limb against excessive force . . . .”
(People v. Curtis (1969) 70 Cal.2d 347, 357 [74 Cal.Rptr. 713, 450 P.2d 33].) “[I]f
the arrest is ultimately determined factually to be unlawful [but the officer did not
use excessive force], the defendant can be validly convicted only of simple assault
or battery,” not assault or battery of a peace officer. (Id. at pp. 355–356.) See
CALCRIM No. 2672, Lawful Performance: Resisting Unlawful Arrest With Force.
SECONDARY SOURCES
1 Witkin & Epstein, California Criminal Law (4th ed. 2012) Crimes Against the
Person, § 69.
6 Millman, Sevilla & Tarlow, California Criminal Defense Practice, Ch. 142, Crimes
Against the Person, § 142.11 (Matthew Bender).
CALCRIM No. 900
ASSAULTIVE AND BATTERY CRIMES
626

or serious bodily injury to another person unless immediately
arrested or detained.]
[Deadly force means any use of force that creates a substantial risk of
causing death or serious bodily injury. Deadly force includes, but is not
limited to, the discharge of a firearm.]
[A serious bodily injury means a serious impairment of physical
condition. Such an injury may include[, but is not limited to,]: (loss of
consciousness/ concussion/ bone fracture/ protracted loss or impairment
of function of any bodily member or organ/ a wound requiring extensive
suturing/ [and] serious disfigurement).]
[A threat of death or serious bodily injury is imminent when, based on
the totality of the circumstances, a reasonable officer in the same
situation would believe that a person has the present ability, opportunity,
and apparent intent to immediately cause death or serious bodily injury
to the peace officer or to another person. An imminent harm is not
merely a fear of future harm, no matter how great the fear and no
matter how great the likelihood of the harm, but is one that, from
appearances, must be instantly confronted and addressed.]
Totality of the circumstances means all facts known to the peace officer at
the time, including the conduct of the defendant and
<insert name of offıcer> leading up to the use of deadly force.
[A peace officer who makes or attempts to make an arrest need not
retreat or stop because the person being arrested is resisting or
threatening to resist. A peace officer does not lose (his/her) right to self-
defense by using objectively reasonable force to arrest or to prevent
escape or to overcome resistance.]
The People have the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that
the officer was lawfully perf