Opinion ID: 1767843
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Overly Broad Jury Instruction

Text: Yocum also argues that the trial court erred in giving the following instruction: Walter Yocum, Jr., is charged with the offense of criminal use of a prohibited weapon. To sustain this charge, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Walter Yocum, Jr., unlawfully possessed any bomb or other implement for the infliction of serious physical injury or death which serves no common lawful purpose. Yocum objected at trial that the language or other implement for the infliction of serious physical injury or death which serves no common lawful purpose should be stricken because that language does not modify a bomb but describes other items not enumerated in the statute and for which Yocum was not charged. We agree that the clause Yocum complains of does not modify a bomb, but do not agree that Yocum was charged with possessing a bomb. This court has repeatedly stated that if there is some evidentiary basis for a jury instruction, giving the same is appropriate. Mitchell v. State, 314 Ark. 343, 862 S.W.2d 254 (1993). The instruction given by the trial court in this case comes from AMI Crim. 3104 and mirrors the statutory definition of criminal use of a prohibited weapon set forth in Ark.Code Ann. § 5-73-104(a). The evidence presented by the state clearly supported giving an alternative instruction on the type of prohibited weapon possessed by Yocum.