In Re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report No. 2016-08

211 So. 3d 995
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedFebruary 23, 2017
DocketSC16-1681
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 211 So. 3d 995 (In Re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report No. 2016-08) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report No. 2016-08, 211 So. 3d 995 (Fla. 2017).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (Committee) has submitted proposed changes to the standard jury instructions and asks that the Court authorize the amended standard instructions for publication and use. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

The Committee proposes amending the following existing standard criminal jury instructions: 7.8 (Driving Under the Influence Manslaughter); 7.8(a) (Boating Under the Influence Manslaughter); 9.1 (Kidnapping); 9.2 (False Imprisonment); 18.3 (False Information to Law Enforcement); 20.18(a) (Unlawful Possession of the Personal Identification Information of Another Person); and 28.18 (Failure to Obey the Lawful Order of a [Police] [Fire] [Traffic] Official). The Committee published its proposals for comment in The Florida Bar News. No comments were received by the Committee. The Court did not publish the proposals after they were filed.

Having considered the Committee’s report, we authorize amended standard jury instructions 7.8, 7.8(a), 9.1, 9.2, 18.3, and 28.18 for publication and use, with the following modifications. In instructions 7.8 and 28.18, the statutory citations to the definition of “vehicle” are revised to reference the correct statute.

We decline to authorize amended instruction 20.18(a) as proposed by the Committee. The Committee proposes to simpli *996 fy the explanations of actual possession, constructive possession, mere proximity, joint possession, inferences of possession, and exceptions to inferences of possession of personal identification information in instruction 20.18(a) by replacing all of the explanations with what the Committee considers a single, simpler explanation of “possession.” The Committee expresses the belief that the existing explanations of the types of possession and inferences of possession in the instruction are deficient and confusing; however, the Court is unaware of any ease law that has held the current explanations of possession deficient. Deciding such substantive matters is appropriate for this Court only within the context of an actual case or controversy. See art. V, § 3(b), Fla. Const.; In re Std. Jury Instrs. in Crim. Cases—Report No. 2015-05, 195 So. 3d 1088, 1089 (Fla. 2016). We therefore decline to authorize amended instruction 20.18(a) for publication and use.

The amended criminal jury instructions, as set forth in the appendix to this opinion, are hereby authorized for publication and use. 1 New language is indicated by underlining; deleted language is indicated by struck-through type. In authorizing the publication and use of these instructions, we express no opinion on their correctness and remind all interested parties that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional or alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of the instructions. We further caution all interested parties that any comments associated with the instructions reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are not necessarily indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability. The instructions as set forth in the appendix shall be effective when this opinion becomes final.

It is so ordered.

LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, and POLSTON, JJ., concur. LAWSON, J., did not participate.

APPENDIX

7.8 DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE MANSLAUGHTER

§§ 316.193(3)(a), (3)(b), and (3)(c)3., Fla. Stat.

To prove the crime of Driving under the Influence Manslaughter, the State must prove the following three elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

1. (Defendant) drove [or was in actual physical control of] a vehicle.

2. While driving [or in actual physical control of] the vehicle,(defendant)

Give 2a or 2b or both as applicable.

a. was under the influence of [alcoholic beverages] [a chemical substance] [a controlled substance] to the extent that [his] [her] normal faculties were impaired.

b. had a [blood] [breath]-alcohol level of .08 or more grams of alcohol per [100 milliliters of blood] [210 liters of breath].

3. As a result of operating the vehicle,(defendant) caused or contributed to the cause of the death of [(victim) ] [an unborn child],

*997 Give if §§ 316.193(3)(a), (3)(b), and (3)(c)3.b., Fla. Stat., is charged.

If you find the defendant guilty of Driving under the Influence Manslaughter, you must further determine whether the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that:

4. (Defendant), at the time of the crash,

a. knew or should have known that the crash occurred

and

b. failed to give information as required by law

c. failed to render aid as required by law

Florida law requires that the driver of any vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury to or death of any person, or damage to any vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by any person, must supply [his] [her] name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle [he] [she] is driving to any person injured in the crash or to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property damaged in the crash. Upon request and if available, the driver shall also exhibit [his] [her] license or permit to drive.

The driver shall give the same information and, upon request, exhibit his or her license or permit, to any police officer who is at the scene of the crash or who is investigating the crash.

The driver shall also render reasonable assistance to any person injured in the crash, including carrying, or the making of arrangements for the carrying, of such person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that treatment is necessary, or if such carrying is requested by the injured person.

In the event none of the persons specified above are in condition to receive the information to which they otherwise would be entitled, and no police officer is present, the driver of a vehicle involved in the crash, after trying to fulfill the requirements listed above as much as possible, shall immediately report the crash to the nearest office of a duly authorized police authority and supply the information specified above.

Give if applicable. § 316.193(4), Fla. Stat.(0ffenses committed prior to October 1, 2008, alcohol level of .20 or higher.)

If you find the defendant guilty of Driving under the Influence Manslaughter, you must also determine whether the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt whether:

a. the defendant had a [blood] [breath]-alcohol level of .15 or higher while driving [or in actual physical control of] the vehicle.

b.

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Related

State v. King
346 Conn. 238 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 2023)
State v. King
204 Conn. App. 1 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 2021)
In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases-Report 2018-09.
262 So. 3d 59 (Supreme Court of Florida, 2019)

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Bluebook (online)
211 So. 3d 995, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-standard-jury-instructions-in-criminal-casesreport-no-2016-08-fla-2017.