Opinion ID: 1399360
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: failure to instruct as to the defendant's theory of the case

Text: The defendant asserts that the language in I.C. § 19-2132(a) that [i]n charging the jury, the court must state to them all matters of law necessary for their information, imposes a duty upon the trial court to sua sponte instruct the jury upon the defendant's theory of the case. Pursuant to this perceived duty, the defendant urges that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury as to the defense of necessity. As an alternative, the defendant asserts that the trial court was alerted to the necessity defense by the defendant's requested instruction No. 2. The defendant's argument would mandate the trial court to instruct the jury upon any defense theory possible. We find no authority for this proposition. A defendant is entitled to an instruction where there is a reasonable view of the evidence presented in the case that would support the theory. State v. Fodge, 121 Idaho 192, 195, 824 P.2d 123, 126 (1992); State v. Johns, 112 Idaho 873, 736 P.2d 1327 (1987); State v. Olsen, 103 Idaho 278, 647 P.2d 734 (1982); State v. Beason, 95 Idaho 267, 506 P.2d 1340 (1973). The defendant misinterprets the statute and the case law. In discussing the duty of a trial court to instruct on lesser included offenses, this Court stated: In an effort to reconcile these often conflicting opinions regarding jury instructions concerning lesser included offenses, and recognizing that a defendant as a trial tactic may not desire any instructions regarding lesser included offenses, we are of the view that in the first instance the burden is upon the defendant to request the court to instruct on lesser included offenses. After such a request, whether it is in the form of a proposed instruction or instructions, which may or may not correctly state the law, or merely an oral or written request as disclosed by the record directed to the trial court to instruct on included offenses, the trial court then has a duty to instruct the jury upon all lesser included offenses which the facts and the pleadings of the particular case justify. State v. Boyenger, 95 Idaho 396, 399-400, 509 P.2d 1317, 1320-21 (1973). This analysis is applicable to the present situation. It is incumbent upon the defendant to submit a requested instruction or in some other manner apprise the trial court of the specific instructions requested. In the situation similar to the one presented, when a defendant requests an instruction, the statute requires a two-prong analysis. First, the trial court must determine if the theory presented in the instruction applies to the case. Second, the trial court must then determine if the instruction is a correct statement of the law. If the theory is not supported by the evidence, then the court must reject the instruction. But if the theory is supported by the evidence, then the court must determine if the instruction is a correct statement of law. If it is a correct statement, then the instruction should be given. But if the instruction is incorrect, then the trial court is under the affirmative duty to properly instruct the jury. In this manner, the defendant is still under the obligation to bring his or her theory or theories to the attention of the trial court. The trial court is not obligated to determine on its own what theories to instruct the jury on. See State v. Boyenger, 95 Idaho 396, 509 P.2d 1317 (1973); see also State v. Olsen, 103 Idaho 278, 647 P.2d 734 (1982); State v. Beason, 95 Idaho 267, 506 P.2d 1340 (1973). In this case, the defendant failed to ask the trial court for an instruction on necessity. The trial court was not obligated to sua sponte instruct the jury on this defense. There was no error.