COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2025 KW 0862 VERSUS

JEROME LILLY NOVEMBER 26, 2025

In Re: Jerome Lilly, for 23rd applying supervisory writs, Judicial District Court, Parish of Ascension, No. 46199.

BEFORE: McCLENDON, C. J., GREENE AND STROMBERG, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED. A criminal defendant has the constitutional right to present a defense. U. S. Const. amend. VI; La. Const. art. I, § 16; Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U. S. 284, 302, 93 S. Ct. 1038, 1049, 35 L. Ed. 2d 297 ( 1973). Relator showed good cause for not filing written notice of his intent to raise the justification of self- defense at trial, and there is no indication that this was a delay tactic that would prejudice the State. See La. Code Crim. P. art. 390( 8). Furthermore, the purpose of Article 390 is to put the State on notice prior to trial of the defendant' s intent to raise the justification of self- defense. Here, the record shows the State does not dispute that it was aware of relator' s intent to argue self- defense at trial.

Accordingly, the district court' s ruling granting the State' s motion in limine is reversed and this matter is remanded for further proceedings.

PMC HG TPS

URT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

TY CLERK OF COURT FOR THE COURT