In any prosecution for an offense, justification, as defined in sections 53a-17 to 53a-23 , inclusive, shall be a defense. Justification as a defense does not include provocation that resulted solely from the discovery of, knowledge about or potential disclosure of the victim's actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, including under circumstances in which the victim made an unwanted, nonforcible, romantic or sexual advance toward the defendant, or if the defendant and victim dated or had a romantic relationship. As used in this section, “gender identity or expression” means gender identity or expression, as defined in section 53a-181i .
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-16
Justification as defense
Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case State v. Montanez (2006)
Most recently applied in State v. Williams (June 2025)
(1969, P.A. 828, S. 16; P.A. 19-27, S. 2.) History: P.A. 19-27 added provisions re discovery, knowledge or potential disclosure of victim's actual or perceived sex, sexual orien…
Official source: Connecticut General Assembly. Reproduced from public-domain Connecticut statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.