What is the effect of imperfect self-defense on a murder charge?

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What is the effect of imperfect self-defense on a murder charge?

Imperfect self-defense is a partial defense that reduces murder to voluntary manslaughter when the defendant honestly believed deadly force was necessary, but that belief was unreasonable. Because murder generally requires malice or a specific intent to kill, an unreasonable but honestly held belief means the defendant lacked the required mens rea for murder. The law still recognizes some fault in responding to a perceived threat, so the offense is downgraded rather than treated as murder. If the belief had been reasonable, it would be perfect self-defense with no liability; it does not leave the case at murder or increase the severity.

Imperfect self-defense is a partial defense that reduces murder to voluntary manslaughter when the defendant honestly believed deadly force was necessary, but that belief was unreasonable. Because murder generally requires malice or a specific intent to kill, an unreasonable but honestly held belief means the defendant lacked the required mens rea for murder. The law still recognizes some fault in responding to a perceived threat, so the offense is downgraded rather than treated as murder. If the belief had been reasonable, it would be perfect self-defense with no liability; it does not leave the case at murder or increase the severity.

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