Title: In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases - Report 2019-07

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC19-1219 
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IN RE: STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES— 
REPORT 2019-07. 
 
December 19, 2019 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal 
Cases (Committee) has submitted proposed changes to the standard jury 
instructions.  The Committee asks that the Court authorize the use of amended 
standard instruction 3.3(a) (Aggravation of a Felony by Carrying a Firearm) and 
the deletion of instruction 3.3(b) (Aggravation of a Felony by Carrying a Weapon 
Other Than a Firearm).  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
On July 22, 2019, the Committee filed a report proposing amendments to 
standard criminal jury instructions 3.3(a) and 3.3(b).  The proposals, amongst 
many others, were published in the April 2019, edition of The Florida Bar News.  
One comment, by the Florida Public Defender Association (FPDA), was received 
 
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by the Committee.  Upon the filing of the Committee’s report, the Court did not 
publish the proposals for comment. 
 
Previously, the Court sent a referral to the Committee, requesting that the 
Committee submit a report proposing amendments to “applicable criminal jury 
instructions” based upon the Court’s decision in Shepard v. State, 259 So. 3d 701 
(Fla. 2018).  Specifically, by letter the Court directed the Committee to “consider 
any changes needed to the jury instructions’ definitions of ‘weapon,’ ‘deadly 
weapon,’ or ‘dangerous weapon’ in light of the holding that 1) ‘any object used or 
intended to be used to inflict harm on another constitutes a weapon within the 
meaning of’ section 775.087(1), Florida Statutes.”  The Committee, which 
contemplated related amendments to numerous instructions, as evidenced by the 
April 2019 publication, concluded that there are problems with defining “weapon,” 
“deadly weapon,” and “dangerous weapon” as used in the instructions.  
Accordingly, the proposals presently before the Court are limited to those 
instructions pertaining solely to section 775.087, Florida Statutes (2018), providing 
for reclassification of felony offenses, which was the subject of Shepard.   
 
We authorize the Committee’s proposals to the instructions herein at issue 
for publication and use.  Standard criminal jury instruction 3.3(b), Aggravation of a 
Felony by Carrying a Weapon Other Than a Firearm, provides for the 
reclassification of a felony if the jury finds that the offense was committed while 
 
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the defendant carried, displayed, used, threatened to use, or attempted to use, a 
weapon, which was not an essential element of the offense.  See § 775.087(1).  
Instruction 3.3(a), on the other hand, provides for the reclassification of a felony 
based upon the defendant carrying, displaying, using, threatening to use, or 
attempting to use, a firearm.  We agree with the Committee that two separate 
instructions are unnecessary, and accordingly amend instruction 3.3(a) to also 
address the portion of section 775.087(1) pertaining to weapons.  Significantly, 
“weapon” is defined as follows: “1) any object readily capable of inflicting bodily 
harm if used in the ordinary manner contemplated by its design and construction; 
or 2) any other object that was [used] [or] [threatened to be used] [or] [attempted to 
be used] [or] [intended to be used] to inflict bodily harm.”  See Shepard, 259 So. 
3d at 706 (concluding “that any object used or intended to be used to inflict harm 
on another constitutes a weapon within the meaning of the statute”).  In addition, 
we authorize the deletion of instruction 3.3(b).  
Having considered the Committee’s proposals, the FPDA’s comment, and 
the Committee’s response thereto, we authorize for publication and use amended 
instruction 3.3(a) as proposed and the deletion of instruction 3.3(b), as set forth in 
the appendix to this opinion.1  New language is indicated by underlining, and 
                                          
 
 
1.  The amendments as reflected in the appendix are to the Criminal Jury 
Instructions as they appear on the Court’s website at www.floridasupremecourt.org 
/jury_instructions/instructions.shtml.  We recognize that there may be minor 
 
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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 instruction as set forth in the appendix shall be 
effective when this opinion becomes final. 
 
It is so ordered. 
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, and MUÑIZ, JJ., 
concur. 
 
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION AND, 
IF FILED, DETERMINED. 
 
Original Proceeding – Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in 
Criminal Cases 
 
Judge F. Rand Wallis, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury 
Instructions in Criminal Cases, Daytona Beach, Florida; and Bart Schneider, Staff 
Liaison, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
                                          
 
discrepancies between the instructions as they appear on the website and the 
published versions of the instructions.  Any discrepancies as to instructions 
authorized for publication and use after October 25, 2007, should be resolved by 
reference to the published opinion of this Court authorizing the instruction. 
 
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APPENDIX 
3.3(a)  AGGRAVATION OF A FELONY(NAME OF FELONY) BY 
[CARRYING] [DISPLAYING] [USING] [THREATENING TO USE] 
[ATTEMPTING TO USE] A [FIREARM] [WEAPON] 
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat. 
 
 
If you find that (defendant) committed (name of felony as identified by 
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat.) and you also find beyond a reasonable doubt that 
during the commission of the crime, [he] [she] personally [carried] [displayed] 
[used] [threatened to use] [attempted to use] a [firearm] [weapon], you should 
find [him] [her] guilty of (felony) with a [firearm] [weapon]. 
 
 
 
Definitions. §790.001(6), Fla. Stat. Give as applicable. 
 
§ 790.001(6), Fla. Stat. 
 
A “"firearm"” is legally defined as (adapt from § 790.001(6), Fla. Stat., as 
required by allegations) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will, is 
designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of 
an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler 
or firearm silencer; any destructive device; or any machine gun. [The term 
“firearm” does not include an antique firearm unless the antique firearm is 
used in the commission of a crime.] 
 
A “weapon” is defined as: 1) any object readily capable of inflicting 
bodily harm if used in the ordinary manner contemplated by its design and 
construction; or 2) any other object that was [used] [or] [threatened to be 
used] [or] [attempted to be used] [or] [intended to be used] to inflict bodily 
harm. 
 
 
If you find that (defendant) committed (name of felony, as identified in 
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat.), but you are not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt 
that [he] [she] personally [carried] [displayed] [used] [threatened to use] 
[attempted to use] a [firearm] [weapon], then you should find [him] [her] 
guilty only of (name of felony). 
 
Comments 
 
It is recommended the verdict form contain a special finding to reflect the 
jury’s determination as to whether the State proved the defendant personally 
carried, displayed, used, threatened to use, or attempted to use a firearm or a 
 
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weapon. A special finding format for the reclassification in § 775.087(1), Fla. Stat., 
can be found in instruction 3.12, example 6.  
 
A special instruction will be necessary in cases where the weapon was an 
animal or a substance or something that is not commonly referred to as an “object.”  
 
This instruction should not be given in conjunction with the instructions 
pertaining to any felony in which the use of a weapon or firearm is an essential 
element. For example, Robbery with a Firearm, Robbery with a Deadly Weapon, 
and Robbery with a Weapon cannot be reclassified with the firearm or weapon 
portion of § 775.087(1), Fla. Stat. Similarly, Aggravated Battery (via use of a 
deadly weapon) cannot be reclassified with the firearm or weapon portion of          
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat. However, Aggravated Battery (via intentionally or 
knowingly causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent 
disfigurement) can be reclassified with the firearm or weapon portion of                   
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat.   
 
 
The requirement that the defendant personally carried, etc., the firearm or 
weapon comports with the holding in State v. Rodriguez, 602 So. 2d 1270 (Fla. 
1992), that a defendant’s offense may not be reclassified for a codefendant’s 
possession of a firearm during a felony.   
 
 
 
 
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and amended in 2011 [73 So. 3d 136] 
and 2019. 
 
 
3.3(b)  AGGRAVATION OF A FELONY 
BY CARRYING A WEAPON OTHER THAN A FIREARM 
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat. 
 
 
If you find that (defendant) committed (felony, as identified by                  
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat.) and you also find beyond a reasonable doubt that 
during the commission of the crime [he] [she] personally [carried] [displayed] 
[used] [threatened to use] [attempted to use] a weapon, you should find [him] 
[her] guilty of (felony) with a weapon. 
 
 
Definition.  
 
A "weapon" is legally defined to mean any object that could be used to 
cause death or inflict serious bodily harm. 
 
 
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If you find that (defendant) committed (felony, as identified in 
§ 775.087(1), Fla. Stat.), but you are not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt 
that [he] [she] personally [carried] [displayed] [used] [threatened to use] 
[attempted to use] a weapon, then you should find [him] [her] guilty only of 
(felony). 
 
Comments 
 
 
This instruction should not be given in conjunction with the instructions 
pertaining to any felony in which the use of a weapon or firearm is an essential 
element. 
 
 
The requirement that the defendant personally carried, etc., the weapon 
comports with the holding in State v. Rodriguez, 602 So. 2d 1270 (Fla. 1992), that 
a defendant’s offense may not be reclassified for a codefendant’s possession of a 
firearm during a felony.    
 
 
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and amended in 2011.