Opinion ID: 3044975
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Self Defense Instruction

Text: Appellant also argues that the District Court erred when it did not present the jury with a self-defense instruction. “As a general proposition a defendant is entitled to an instruction as to any recognized defense for which there exists evidence sufficient for a reasonable jury to find in his favor.” Matthews v. United States, 485 U.S. 58, 63, 108 S. Ct. 883, 887, 99 L. Ed. 2d 54 (1988). Although a 10 Appellant also argues that the Pattern Instructions require the jury to find a forcible assault to convict under 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1) and (b). Appt. Br. at 22 (citing Fallen, 584 F.3d at 1090). Appellant’s reliance of Fallen is misplaced. Nothing in Fallen indicates that a conviction under the statute is permissible only if the jury finds that the defendant committed a forcible assault. Appellant’s citation to the Pattern Instructions is equally unavailing. Appt. Br. at 22 (noting that Pattern Jury Instruction 1.2 states that a defendant can be found guilty under 18 U.S.C. § 111(b) only if forcible assault is proven beyond a reasonable doubt). As we have discussed, the Pattern Instructions are advisory only. They “cannot trump the plain language of the statute.” United States v. Polar, 369 F.3d 1248, 1252 (11th Cir. 2004). The plain language of § 111(a)(1) proscribes forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a federal officer in the performance of his official duties. Accordingly, the District Court did not err. 16 Case: 12-13809 Date Filed: 01/16/2014 Page: 17 of 25 defendant may be entitled to a self-defense instruction, he must still request that the instruction be included in the jury charge. The District Court is not required sua sponte to instruct the jury on an affirmative defense that has not been requested by the defendant. United States v. Diaz, 190 F.3d 1247, 1258 (11th Cir. 1999) (“The district court did not plainly err in failing to sua sponte instruct the jury on [various] affirmative defenses . . . when these defenses were not requested by the defendant.”). Because Defendant did not object to the omission of the self-defense instruction, we review the District Court’s decision for plain error. Moore, 525 F.3d at 1048. The record reveals that defense counsel failed to request the defense instruction. During the charge conference, defense counsel initially requested that the self-defense instruction be included with the jury charge. DE 60:241. At the conference’s conclusion, however, defense counsel expressed misgivings about including the instruction and indicated to the court that he wished to consult with Appellant to determine whether he wanted the instruction in the charge. DE 60:247. The court acknowledged the request and stated that defense counsel could raise the issue again the following day. DE 60:248. However, as far as the record reveals, and as was confirmed at oral argument, defense counsel never requested the self-defense instruction after the charge conference. 17 Case: 12-13809 Date Filed: 01/16/2014 Page: 18 of 25 Not only did defense counsel fail to request the defense instruction after the charge conference, he affirmatively expressed hesitation about including it in the jury charge. Given this record, the District Court did not plainly err by not presenting the defense instruction to the jury. A District Court is not required to instruct the jury on an affirmative defense in light of defense counsel’s silence. Diaz, 190 F.3d at 1258. It follows a fortiori that the District Court is not required to provide a defense instruction where the defendant is unsure, equivocal, or expresses doubt as to the instruction’s inclusion. 11