Opinion ID: 2078420
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Give Final Instruction on Elements of Crime

Text: In its preliminary instructions, the trial court informed the jury of the elements of robbery and read the charging information, which also stated the elements of the crime. The court did not repeat this information in its final instructions, although it did tell the jury to consider the preliminary instructions in its deliberations. The record reveals that no objections were made to the court's final instructions, nor were instructions tendered on the elements of robbery. Bowens argues it was fundamental error not to so charge the jury in final instructions. This issue falls squarely within McMillian v. State (1983), Ind., 450 N.E.2d 996, in which the allegation of error was that the court failed to give final instructions on the elements of burglary. We stated in McMillian that waiver had occurred and no fundamental error existed where objections had not been made to the final instructions, the preliminary instructions outlined the elements of the offense, and the jury was told to consider the preliminary instructions in deliberations. Bowens' rights were not violated by the omission of a final instruction on the elements of robbery.