Opinion ID: 1177613
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the importance to the appellant of having been denied a jury instruction on the definition of state funds

Text: Appellant was charged in three counts with drawing for personal use some 91 checks against the Wyoming Law Enforcement Recreation Fund account at Converse County Bank in Douglas. The indictment alleged that the Fund consisted of monies derived from the following sources: (1) Donations from the Wyoming Peace Officers' Association; (2) contributions from individual policemen attending the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy; (3) proceeds from the sale of soft drinks and souvenirs sold to policemen attending the Law Enforcement Academy; and (4) other unspecified sources. The jury found appellant guilty of the charge contained in count one, involving a single check he had withdrawn for $318.99. The jury found appellant not guilty of the crime described in count three, also involving a single check. The jury found appellant guilty of the crime charged in count two, but determined that he embezzled only $1,030.20 of the more than $4,000.00 that the State had charged that he embezzled by writing some 89 checks. The State contends that these split verdicts were due to the jury's conclusion that some of the checks were properly drawn and some were not. This interpretation loses its credibility when it is realized that the check in count three was made payable to appellant's wife, but the jury acquitted him of the count-three violation. Appellant urges that the split jury verdicts came about because the jury concluded that some of the money in the fund was state money and some was not. Appellant's closing argument was devoted virtually exclusively to the issue of whether the money involved was state money. A closing argument based upon this premise supports appellant's position that the split jury verdicts were due to a determination that only some of the money involved was state money. Indeed, the majority accepts appellant's position in this regard. Thus, all the evidence suggests that the issue of whether the money involved was state money was central to appellant's defense and to the jury's deliberation. In this context, it is well to recall the jury's inquiry to the court on this issue.