In
1998 the defendant, Cedrick
Shuler, 36, shot and killed Renee LaShawn Best, 26, in Southeast Washington as
he fired at a man he believed killed one of his friends. The trial court used
two theories of mens rea to instruct the jury on first-degree murder while
armed: first, Mr. Shuler intended to kill Ms. Best, or second, Mr. Shuler’s
intention to kill transferred to Ms. Best under the transferred intent
doctrine.
