Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (95-2)

665 So. 2d 212, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 589, 1995 Fla. LEXIS 1960, 1995 WL 716642
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedDecember 7, 1995
DocketNo. 86118
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 665 So. 2d 212 (Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (95-2)) 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
Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (95-2), 665 So. 2d 212, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 589, 1995 Fla. LEXIS 1960, 1995 WL 716642 (Fla. 1995).

Opinion

CORRECTED OPINION

PER CURIAM.

This cause is before this Court upon the petition of the Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases which has submitted the following recommended amendments to the Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases:

1. The committee recommends an amendment to the instruction on the “cold, calculated and premeditated” aggravating circumstance for capital cases (page 77 of the manual). This instruction is proposed by the committee in response to Jackson v. State, 648 So.2d 85 (Fla.1994). The committee believes the use of the word “and” between “calculated” and “premeditated” makes it clear that there are four independent elements to this aggravating factor and that all four must exist before the aggravating factor may be found.

2. The committee recommends an amendment to instruction 3.01, entitled “Principals,” based on section 777.011, Florida Statutes (1993) (page 32a of the manual). The committee contends that the current jury instruction is both insufficient and erroneous. It is the feeling of the committee that the word “helps” is not sufficiently specific as to some of the ways in which one can be considered a principal. In addition, the current instruction adds a requirement that the defendant “intend to participate actively or by sharing in an expected benefit.” This requirement is found neither in the statute nor in applicable appellate decisions. The intent required is only that the offense be committed. Finally, the committee believes that the requirement that the defendant “knew what was going to happen” requires an element of prescience not generally required for criminal intent. The committee believes that the proposed instruction corrects those current errors in the instruction.

3. The committee recommends an amendment to instruction 2.08, entitled “Verdict” (page 25 of the manual). The committee believes that this instruction gives the jury guidance regarding the consideration of lesser included offenses.

4. The committee recommends an amendment to the instruction entitled “Possession of Burglary Tools” (page 138 of the manual). The committee believes that the current instruction is insufficient since it does not include the requirement set forth in Thomas v. State, 531 So.2d 708 (Fla.1988), that the defendant engage in an overt act toward the commission of the burglary or trespass.

5. The committee recommends amending the “Note to Judge” regarding presumptions of impairment in cases of DUI-Manslaughter (page 71 of the manual), Felony DUI-Prior Convictions (page 280c of the manual), and Felony DUI-Serious Bodily Injury (page 280d of the manual). Further, the committee recommends adding an additional paragraph that permits the jury to consider the presumptions along with any other evidence.

6. The committee recommends a new instruction on “Leaving the Scene of Accident Involving Death or Injury” consistent with our opinion in State v. Mancuso, 652 So.2d 370 (Fla.1995).

7. The committee recommends a new instruction on “Sale of a Substance in Place of a Controlled Substance.” The definition of the word “sell” was included based on Carruthers v. State, 636 So.2d 853, 855 (Fla. 1st DCA), review dismissed, 639 So.2d 981 (Fla.1994).

8. The committee recommends an amendment to the instruction on “Robbery.” As a result of the change in section 812.13(1), Florida Statutes which took effect on October 1, 1992, the committee recommends the addition of the words “or temporarily” in paragraph four after “permanently.”

[213]*2139. The committee recommends an amendment to instruction 2.05 on Rules of Deliberation (page 155 of the manual). The committee believes that the current language in paragraph eight combines the concept of reasonable doubt with the unrelated admonition instruction concerning sympathy and bias.

10. The committee recommends that the instructions on “Attempted Felony Murder” (pages 58f-g and 58i-j of the manual) be deleted in light of State v. Gray, 654 So.2d 552 (Fla.1995). Aso, the committee recommends placing a “Note to Judge” on pages 58f and 58i of the manual.

The committee received several letters following publication of the recommendations in The Florida Bar News. In light of several comments received following publication of the instruction on the “Cold, Calculated, and Premeditated” aggravating circumstances, the committee made two changes to the instruction. With some technical changes, the amendments recommended by the committee are set forth in the appendix attached to this opinion. We approve for publication the amendments set forth in the appendix. The amendments as set forth in the appendix shall be effective when this opinion becomes final. We wish to express our appreciation to the committee for its continued contribution to the criminal justice system.

It is so ordered.

GRIMES, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, KOGAN, HARDING, WELLS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX

(1)

PENALTY PROCEEDINGS — CAPITAL CASES

F.S. 921.141

[The amendment changes only paragraph 9 of the instruction on aggravating factors. The remainder of the instruction, therefore, has been omitted.]

9. The crime-for-which the defendant-is to be sentenced was committed in a cold; calculated and premeditated manner- without any pretense of moral or legal justification. — In-order for you to-consider this -aggravating factor, you must find the murder was-cold, and calculated,- and premeditated, and that there was-no pretense of-moral-or legal justification. “Cold” means the-murder was the-product of calm and cool reflection. — “Calculated” means the defendant had a careful plan or prearranged design to commit the murder. “Premeditated” means the defendant exhibited a higher degree of premeditation than that-which is normally required-in a premeditated murder. A “pretense of moral or legal justification” is-any claim of justification or excuse that, though-insufficient to-reduce the degree of homicide, nevertheless-rebuts the otherwise cold and calculating nature of the homicide. The crime for which the defendant is to be sentenced was committed in a cold and calculated and premeditated manner, and without any pretense of moral or legal justification.
“Cold” means the murder was the product of calm and cool reflection.
“Calculated” means having a careful plan or prearranged design to commit murder.
[As I have previously defined for you] a killing is “premeditated” if it occurs after the defendant consciously decides to kill. The decision must be present in the mind at the time of the killing. The law does not fix the exact period of time that must pass between the formation of the premeditated intent to kill and the killing. The period of time must be long enough to allow reflection by the defendant. The premeditated intent to kill must be formed before the killing.
However, in order for this aggravating circumstance to apply, a heightened level of premeditation, demonstrated by a substantial period of reflection, is required. [214]

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665 So. 2d 212, 20 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 589, 1995 Fla. LEXIS 1960, 1995 WL 716642, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/standard-jury-instructions-in-criminal-cases-95-2-fla-1995.