Opinion ID: 900407
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Refusal to instruct the jury regarding over-driving the conditions.

Text: [¶ 55.] Our standard of review for a trial court's refusal to give a requested jury instruction is as follows: On issues supported by competent evidence in the record, the trial court should instruct the jury. The trial court is not required to instruct on issues lacking support in the record. Failure to give a requested instruction that correctly sets forth the law is prejudicial error. Jury instructions are reviewed as a whole and are sufficient if they correctly state the law and inform the jury. Error is not reversible unless it is prejudicial. The burden of demonstrating prejudice in failure to give a proposed instruction is on the party contending the error. State v. Shadbolt, 1999 SD 15, ¶ 9, 590 N.W.2d 231, 232-33 (citing Sundt Corp. v. State Dep't of Transp., 1997 SD 91, ¶ 19, 566 N.W.2d 476, 480 (quoting Kuper v. Lincoln-Union Elec. Co., 1996 SD 145, ¶ 32, 557 N.W.2d 748, 758 (internal citations omitted))). We have often stated that `[a] trial court must present only those instructions to the jury which are supported by competent evidence and set forth the applicable law.' Sundt, 1997 SD 91, ¶ 22, 566 N.W.2d at 481 (quoting State v. Johnson, 320 N.W.2d 142, 147 (S.D.1982)). [¶ 56.] In the present case, Stratmeyer requested a jury instruction to explain to the jury that even if evidence established Atkins was driving the speed limit, he still could be found contributorily negligent based upon over-driving the conditions. [8] Evidence was presented by witness Lundt, who arrived at the scene after the accident, that the conditions were foggy and visibility was impaired. He further testified that he was traveling slower than the posted speed limit and was able to see and avoid the three horses which had been hit by Atkins and were lying in the road. This evidence supported the giving of the requested jury instruction. The jury should have been allowed to decide the credibility of this version of the conditions at the time of the accident. It was reversible error to not give the jury instruction since it was supported by evidence. As to whether the conditions existed were questions for the jury, not the court. [¶ 57.] This Court has previously stated that [t]rials are a search for the truth as determined by the jury based upon all evidence and instructions on applicable law. Tunender v. Minnaert, 1997 SD 62, ¶ 28, 563 N.W.2d 849, 855. Further, in McDonough Power Equip., Inc., v. Greenwood, 464 U.S. 548, 104 S.Ct. 845, 78 L.Ed.2d 663 (1984), the United States Supreme Court noted that [t]his Court has long held that `[a litigant] is entitled to a fair trial but not a perfect one, for there are no perfect trials.' 464 U.S. at 553, 104 S.Ct. at 848, 78 L.Ed.2d at 669 (quoting Brown v. United States, 411 U.S. 223, 231-32, 93 S.Ct. 1565, 1570-71, 36 L.Ed.2d 208, 215 (1973)) (quoting Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 135, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 1627, 20 L.Ed.2d 476, 484 (1968), and Lutwak v. United States, 344 U.S. 604, 619-20, 73 S.Ct. 481, 490, 97 L.Ed. 593, 605 (1953)). After reviewing this polluted record, I am convinced that the trial court's rulings inhibited the search for truth and denied Stratmeyer a fair trial.