Title: In Re: Standard Jury Instructions In Criminal Cases – Report No. 2010.04
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC10-1644
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: January 6, 2011

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC10-1644 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES— 
REPORT NO. 2010-04. 
 
[January 6, 2011] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal 
Cases (Committee) has filed a report in which it proposes an amended standard 
jury instruction and asks the Court to authorize the amended instruction for 
publication and use.1   
 
The Committee proposes that Instruction 7.3, Felony Murder – First Degree 
be amended by moving second-degree (depraved mind) murder in the table of 
lesser-included offenses from the Category One, necessarily lesser-included 
offense, box to the Category Two, permissive lesser-included offense, box.  The 
proposed amendment is in response to our decision in Coicou v. State, 39 So. 3d 
237 (Fla. 2010). 
                                          
 
 
1.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
- 2 - 
 
In Coicou, we explained that attempted second-degree murder is not a 
necessarily lesser-included offense of attempted first-degree felony murder and, 
therefore, we receded from Linehan v. State, 476 So. 2d 1262 (Fla. 1985), and 
Scurry v. State, 521 So. 2d 1077 (Fla. 1988), to the extent those decisions were 
inconsistent with our decision in Coicou.  39 So. 3d at 243.  We held that “a case-
by-case determination is warranted when deciding whether attempted second-
degree murder is a permissive lesser-included offense of attempted first-degree 
felony murder.”  Id. at 244.  We also directed the Committee to consider a revision 
to the Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases in light of our decision.  Id. at 
243. 
 
After considering the Committee’s report and proposal, we hereby authorize 
the publication and use of the amended instruction as set forth in the appendix to 
this opinion.  In doing so, we express no opinion on the correctness of the 
instruction and remind all interested parties that this authorization forecloses 
neither requesting an additional or alternative instruction nor contesting the legal 
correctness of the instruction.  We further caution all interested parties that any 
notes and comments associated with the instruction reflect only the opinion of the 
 
- 3 - 
Committee and are not necessarily indicative of the views of this Court as to its 
correctness or applicability.2 
 
New language is indicated by underlining, and deleted language is struck-
through.  The instructions as set forth in the appendix shall be effective when this 
opinion becomes final. 
 
It is so ordered. 
CANADY, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, POLSTON, LABARGA, 
and PERRY, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
 
Original Proceedings – Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in 
Criminal Cases 
 
Judge Lisa T. Munyon, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury 
Instructions in Criminal Cases, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orlando, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
                                          
 
 
2.  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 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. 
 
- 4 - 
APPENDIX 
7.3 FELONY MURDER — FIRST DEGREE 
§ 782.04(1)(a), Fla. Stat. 
 
 
To prove the crime of First Degree Felony Murder, the State must prove 
the following three elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 
 
1. 
(Victim) is dead. 
 
Give 2a, 2b, or 2c as applicable. 
2. a. [The death occurred as a consequence of and while (defendant) 
was engaged in the commission of (crime alleged).] 
 
 
b. [The death occurred as a consequence of and while (defendant) 
was attempting to commit (crime alleged).] 
 
c. [The death occurred as a consequence of and while (defendant), or 
an accomplice, was escaping from the immediate scene of (crime 
alleged).] 
 
Give 3a if defendant actual perpetrator. 
3. a. [(Defendant) was the person who actually killed (victim).] 
 
Give 3b if defendant not actual perpetrator. 
b. [(Victim) was killed by a person other than (defendant); but both 
(defendant) and the person who killed (victim) were principals in 
the commission of (crime alleged).] 
 
 
In order to convict of First Degree Felony Murder, it is not necessary 
for the State to prove that the defendant had a premeditated design or intent 
to kill. 
 
1. 
Define the crime alleged. If Burglary, also define crime that was the 
object of burglary. 
 
2. 
If 2b above is given, also define "attempt" (see 5.1). 
 
3. 
If 3b is given, immediately give principal instruction (3.5(a)). 
 
- 5 - 
4. 
Since the statute does not require its proof, it is not necessary to 
define "premeditation." 
 
Lesser Included Offenses 
 
FIRST DEGREE (FELONY) MURDER — 782.04(1)(a) 
CATEGORY ONE 
CATEGORY TWO 
FLA. STAT. INS. 
NO. 
Second degree 
(depraved mind) 
murder 
Second degree 
(depraved mind) 
murder 
782.04(2) 
7.4 
Manslaughter 
 
782.07 
7.7 
 
Second degree 
(felony) murder 
782.04(3) 
7.5 
 
Third degree (felony) 
murder 
782.04(4) 
7.6 
 
Aggravated assault 
784.021 
8.2 
 
Aggravated battery 
784.045 
8.4 
 
Assault 
784.011 
8.1 
 
Battery 
784.03 
8.3 
 
Comment 
 
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and was amended in 1985, and 1992, 
and 2011.