Opinion ID: 2379566
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Charge on Possession of Recently Stolen Goods

Text: If you find that the State has established beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant had in his possession property recently stolen in the course of the crime alleged in the indictment, you may consider that circumstance in weighing the evidence. You are not required to draw any conclusion from that circumstance, but you are permitted to infer, from the defendant's possession, if you find it to be unexplained or unsatisfactorily explained by the evidence presented, that the defendant is guilty of the offense, provided that in your judgment such an inference is warranted by the evidence as a whole. Proof of defendant's possession of the recently stolen property does not shift the State's burden of proof. The burden is always upon the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt every essential element of an offense. Before you may draw any inference from the defendant's possession of recently stolen property, you must first find that the State has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the offense charged took place. If you find that the State has proved beyond a reasonable doubt every essential element of that offense but has not shown that defendant took part in the offense except by his possession of stolen property, the defendant's possession of the recently stolen property is a circumstance from which you may find, by the process of inference, that the defendant was the person or one of the persons who stole it. In short, if the State has proved beyond a reasonable doubt all the essential elements of the offense, except defendant's participation therein, then, but only then, the defendant's possession of the stolen property (if not satisfactorily explained by the evidence presented) permits you to infer that the defendant was the thief or one of the thieves, provided that you find such inference to be warranted in view of all the evidence in the case. In considering whether the defendant's possession of the recently stolen property has been satisfactorily explained, you must bear in mind that the defendant is not required to take the witness stand or furnish an explanation. His possession may be satisfactorily explained by other circumstances shown by the evidence independent of any testimony by the defendant himself. And even if the defendant's possession of the recently stolen property is unexplained or is not explained to your satisfaction, you cannot draw the inference adverse to the defendant unless after consideration of all the evidence you have no reasonable doubt as to defendant's guilt. It is exclusively within your province to determine (a) whether property specified in the indictment was stolen in the course of the alleged crime and, if so, (b) whether, while recently stolen, it was in the possession of the defendant and, if so, (c) whether the possession of the property has been satisfactorily explained by the evidence presented, and (d) whether the evidence as a whole warrants any inference of guilt. If you find that the State has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt every essential element of the offense charged; or if you find that the State has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that property specified in the indictment was in the possession of the defendant while recently stolen; or if the defendant's possession of the stolen property is satisfactorily explained by other circumstances shown by the evidence; or if, after consideration of all the evidence, you have a reasonable doubt as to the defendant's guilt; then, in any one or more of these events, you must find the defendant not guilty.