Wash. Rev. Code » Title 9A · Chapter 9A.16
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.16.050 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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Homicide is also justifiable when committed either:
(1) In the lawful defense of the slayer, or his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister, or of any other person in his or her presence or company, when there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design on the part of the person slain to commit a felony or to do some great personal injury to the slayer or to any such person, and there is imminent danger of such design being accomplished; or
(2) In the actual resistance of an attempt to commit a felony upon the slayer, in his or her presence, or upon or in a dwelling, or other place of abode, in which he or she is.
[ 2011 c 336 s 354; 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 s 9A.16.050.]
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 95 cases (25 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case: State v. Brightman, 122 P.3d 150 (Wash. 2005).
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State v. Brightman, 122 P.3d 150 (Wash. 2005). · cites it 19× “¶ 25 RCW 9A.16.050, Washington's justifiable homicide statute, reads: Homicide is also justifiable when committed either: (1) In the lawful defense of the slayer,.”
State v. McCullum, 656 P.2d 1064 (Wash. 1983). · cites it 7× “See RCW 9A.16.050. See also Porter v. Leeke, 457 F.”
State v. Brightman, 155 Wash. 2d 506 (Wash. 2005). · cites it 4× “Brightman correctly notes that RCW 9A.16.050(1) contemplates justifiable homicide where the defendant reasonably *521 fears the person slain is about to commit a felony upon the slayer or inflict death or great personal injury, and there is imminent danger that the felony or…”
State of Washington v. Amy Sue Brown, 506 P.3d 1258 (Wash. Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 10× “RCW 9A.16.050. Here, both alternatives of justifiable homicide from RCW 9A.”
State Of Washington, V David Y. Bogdanov, 532 P.3d 1035 (Wash. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 12× “050, which provides, Homicide is also justifiable when committed either: (1) In the lawful defense of the slayer, or his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister, or of any other person in his or her presence or company, when there is reasonable ground to…”
State v. Dennison, 801 P.2d 193 (Wash. 1990). · cites it 4× “RCW 9A.16.050 specifically makes self-defense a statutory defense to a charge of homicide.”
State v. Read, 53 P.3d 26 (Wash. 2002). · cites it 3× “ANALYSIS To raise a self-defense claim in a murder prosecution, a defendant must produce some evidence to establish the killing occurred in circumstances amounting to defense of life and produce some evidence he or she had a reasonable apprehension of great bodily harm and…”
State v. Riker, 869 P.2d 43 (Wash. 1994). · cites it 4× “Compare RCW 9A.16.050 (self-defense) with RCW 9A.”
State v. Hoffman, 804 P.2d 577 (Wash. 1991). · cites it 2× “2d 1008 (1981); RCW 9A.16.050(1). [87] State v. Camp, 67 Wn.”
State v. Benn, 845 P.2d 289 (Wash. 1993). · cites it 2× “RCW 9A.16.050(1); State v. Hughes, 106 Wn.”
State v. Janes, 850 P.2d 495 (Wash. 1993). · cites it 2× “Under RCW 9A.16.050 homicide is justifiable when committed: In the lawful defense of the slayer.”
State v. Walden, 932 P.2d 1237 (Wash. 1997). · cites it 2× “" 13A Ferguson, supra § 2604, at 351; RCW 9A.16.050(1); 1 Wayne R. LaFave & Austin W.”
Show all 95 citing cases →
— Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.16.050(1) — 42 cases
State v. McCullum, 656 P.2d 1064 (Wash. 1983). “See RCW 9A.16.050. See also Porter v. Leeke, 457 F.”
State v. Brightman, 122 P.3d 150 (Wash. 2005). “¶ 25 RCW 9A.16.050, Washington's justifiable homicide statute, reads: Homicide is also justifiable when committed either: (1) In the lawful defense of the slayer,.”
State v. Hoffman, 804 P.2d 577 (Wash. 1991). “2d 1008 (1981); RCW 9A.16.050(1). [87] State v. Camp, 67 Wn.”
State Of Washington, V David Y. Bogdanov, 532 P.3d 1035 (Wash. Ct. App. 2023). “050, which provides, Homicide is also justifiable when committed either: (1) In the lawful defense of the slayer, or his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister, or of any other person in his or her presence or company, when there is reasonable ground to…”
State v. Benn, 845 P.2d 289 (Wash. 1993). “RCW 9A.16.050(1); State v. Hughes, 106 Wn.”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.16.050(2) — 19 cases
State v. Brightman, 122 P.3d 150 (Wash. 2005). “¶ 25 RCW 9A.16.050, Washington's justifiable homicide statute, reads: Homicide is also justifiable when committed either: (1) In the lawful defense of the slayer,.”
State v. Brightman, 155 Wash. 2d 506 (Wash. 2005). “Brightman correctly notes that RCW 9A.16.050(1) contemplates justifiable homicide where the defendant reasonably *521 fears the person slain is about to commit a felony upon the slayer or inflict death or great personal injury, and there is imminent danger that the felony or…”
State of Washington v. Amy Sue Brown, 506 P.3d 1258 (Wash. Ct. App. 2022). “RCW 9A.16.050. Here, both alternatives of justifiable homicide from RCW 9A.”
State Of Washington, V David Y. Bogdanov, 532 P.3d 1035 (Wash. Ct. App. 2023). “050, which provides, Homicide is also justifiable when committed either: (1) In the lawful defense of the slayer, or his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister, or of any other person in his or her presence or company, when there is reasonable ground to…”
State Of Washington, Respondent/cr-appellant v. Jesse Randall Ackerman, Appellant/cr-respondent, 453 P.3d 749 (Wash. Ct. App. 2019).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.16.050(l) — 1 case
State of Washington v. Christopher Martin Owens (Wash. Ct. App. 2013).
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