Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 53a — PENAL CODE · Chapter 951 — Penal Code: Statutory Construction; Principles of Criminal Liability
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-16a (2025)

Affirmative defense in certain situations involving firearms; exceptions

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In any prosecution for an offense under section 53a-55a, 53a-56a, 53a-60a, 53a-92a, 53a-94a, 53a-102a or 53a-103a, it shall be an affirmative defense that the pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or other firearm was not a weapon from which a shot could be discharged, but it shall not be an affirmative defense to any prosecution under section 53a-55, 53a-56, 53a-60, 53a-92, 53a-94, 53a-102 or 53a-103.

(P.A. 75-380, S. 2; P.A. 81-27, S. 4; P.A. 92-260, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 81-27 removed references to prosecutions under repealed sections 53a-72, 53a-75 and 53a-78; P.A. 92-260 made technical changes.

Defendant is entitled to a theory of defense instruction as a matter of law when evidence under section is before jury. 178 C. 704. Cited. 198 C. 190; 209 C. 75.

Cited. 23 CA 615; 24 CA 195; 45 CA 390.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1979–2012 · leading case: State v. Darryl W., 33 A.3d 239 (Conn. 2012).
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State v. Darryl W., 33 A.3d 239 (Conn. 2012). · cites it 18× “He claims first that the trial court improperly instructed the jury regarding the elements of §§ 53a-70a (a) (1) and 53a-92a and regarding his affirmative defense to § 53a-92a under General Statutes § 53a-16a. 4 This claim specifically concerns the legal standards for *357…”
State v. Woods, 583 A.2d 639 (Conn. App. Ct. 1990). · cites it 2× “The common law defense of necessity, preserved under a savings statute, General Statutes § 53a-4, is available to the same extent as the statutorily defined defenses of Chapter 951, particularly the affirmative defenses of justification in General Statutes §§ 53a-16a through…”
State v. Rosado, 425 A.2d 108 (Conn. 1979). “…§ 53a-14; entrapment; § 53a-15; justification; § 53a-16, as defined in §§ 53a-17 through 53a-23; use of firearms; §§ 53a-16a and 53a-16b; and renunciation of criminal purpose in a conspiracy charge; § 53a-48. We hold .therefore that only when evidence indicating the…”
State v. Messler, 562 A.2d 1138 (Conn. App. Ct. 1989). “…duress; § 53a-15, entrapment; § 53a-16, justification, as defined in General Statutes §§ 53a-17 through 53a-23; §§ 53a-16a and 53a-16b, use of firearms; and § 53a-48, renunciation of criminal purpose in a conspiracy charge. The Rosada court held that “only when evidence…”
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