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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 2 |
| 1862 | 5 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1872 | 3 |
| 1876 | 9 |
| 1877 | 8 |
| 1878 | 6 |
| 1880 | 4 |
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 13 |
| 1884 | 5 |
| 1885 | 18 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1887 | 8 |
| 1888 | 11 |
| 1889 | 35 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 23 |
| 1892 | 89 |
| 1893 | 82 |
| 1894 | 119 |
| 1895 | 95 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 4 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 33 |
| 1904 | 16 |
| 1905 | 3 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 4 |
| 1909 | 19 |
| 1910 | 13 |
| 1911 | 11 |
| 1912 | 2 |
| 1914 | 5 |
| 1915 | 3 |
| 1916 | 8 |
| 1917 | 8 |
| 1918 | 3 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 3 |
| 1929 | 1 |
705 stories matching defens
- The Self-Defense Trial of James Murphy
A Seattle murder trial hinges on claims of a 'dangerous man,' witness bribery, and a life-or-death confrontation in a saloon.
- A Barber’s Violent Defense in 1889 Seattle
After a shootout on Front Street, the grand jury is tasked with untangling conflicting accounts of self-defense versus malice between two men.
- A Deadly Domestic Dispute
A Bellingham woman sues to collect her husband’s life insurance after shooting him in an act of self-defense.
- The Self-Defense Trial that Gripped Garfield County
After concealing her husband's body in a potato hole and weathering public suspicion, Mrs. Lartigue is acquitted of murder.
- The McNamara Defense Fund Ball
Everett’s labor community gathers at a boisterous benefit dance to raise funds for the legal defense of the McNamara brothers.
- The McNamara Defense Ball
Everett labor unions crowd the dance floor to raise funds for a controversial national legal defense campaign.
- The Unflinching Defense of Mrs. Dudley
Facing a court in a high-stakes trial, a woman demands the right to testify in her own defense, challenging the gendered biases of her era.
- A Convicted Killer's Last Chance at the King County Bar
Defense attorney Melvin G. Wylie attacks the murder conviction of Holmes for the killing of William Russell, while Prosecutor Miller fights to keep the verdict.
- The Acquittal of John Williams
A jury exonerates a man accused of killing William Lockenfritz, accepting a plea of self-defense.
- The Mercer Island Cabin Killing
A man is on trial for the murder of his cabin-mate, claiming self-defense after a violent confrontation over driftwood collection.
- The 'Artillery Insanity' Defense Wins Arson Acquittal
A man accused of burning his own store to collect insurance walks free after his lawyer claims a war-era head injury rendered him mentally incapable of controlling his actions.
- The Trial of a Fallen City Treasurer
A scathing editorial lambasts former City Treasurer Krug for his 'technical' defense after being caught embezzling public funds.
- The Right to Bear Arms in the Labor Wars
A local newspaper editorial lashes out against a Democratic convention resolution that sought to ban armed groups during labor disputes, arguing that self-defense is a fundamental right for employers and employees alike.
- The Ballard Marshal’s Trial
A former Ballard policeman stands trial for the killing of a man during an arrest gone wrong.
- The Trial of City Treasurer Adolph Krug
A Seattle judge rejects the defense's motion to dismiss embezzlement charges, invoking the history of the law against modern corporate corruption.
- A Fatal Duel Over a Horse in the Cascades
A young railway worker claims self-defense after shooting a known gambler near Nason Creek.
- Hop Picker Kills Intruder in Midnight Stand-off
A teenage hop picker at a South Prairie ranch shoots and kills an unidentified man during a confrontation at a barn.
- The 'Blasher' Walks: A Razor Fight in a Seattle Saloon Ends in Acquittal
William Robinson, known to police for carrying two or three razors, was cleared of slashing Alander Strom outside the Mint saloon—after witnesses convinced a jury he was the one being thrown out.
- Tragedy at Rigney Hill: Teenager Re-Arrested for Fatal Shooting
After previously being exonerated on grounds of self-defense, a 19-year-old Tacoma youth faces a new grand jury indictment for a deadly farm dispute.
- The Verdict Was Thrown Out. Now Wilcox Faces a Second Fight for His Life.
William A. Wilcox, once convicted of manslaughter in the 1893 slaying of Charlotte Fetting, will be retried in Seattle. Both prosecution and defense claim new evidence — and the defense says the real killers are still at large.
- The Editor's Pistol: A Deadly Quarrel in Walla Walla
Chas. Besserer, editor of the Walla Walla Watchman, shoots a brewer who threatened him, and is acquitted on grounds of self-defense.
- Rep. LaFollette Tackles Merchant Marine Policy
At a Commercial Club luncheon, Congressman William L. LaFollette discussed his opposition to federal ship subsidies and defense propaganda.
- The Fatal Quarrel at the Renton Mines
A bloody dispute at the Renton coal mines leads to a murder conviction, exposing the rough edges of frontier life in the burgeoning territory.
- A Close Call at the Port Townsend Jail
A routine arrest turns into a chaotic scene as a deputy sheriff’s pistol misfires, leaving the officer wounded during a struggle.
- A Spilled Bowl of Soup, a Fatal Shot at Camp Murray
A mess-tent quarrel between two young soldiers ended with Private Thomas Vandiver shot through the body and Private Frederick Stubbs in the county jail, claiming self-defense.