Opinion ID: 2052508
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: balance of instruction issues

Text: Finally, we examine Donald's complaints that the trial court failed to give some of his proposed instructions. At trial he proposed some sixty-six instructions in all and now complains only of the trial court's objection of thirty-seven of them. First, Donald claims that some seventeen instructions, which he summarizes as proposed instructions on degrees of offenses which should have been given with respect to the charges of murder, robbery and assault, should have been given by the trial court. Donald acknowledges that two tests must be met, the legal test and the factual test, before the trial court can submit an instruction on a lesser included offense to the jury. State v. Heumiller, 317 N.W.2d 126 (S.D.1982). He then fails to point out where either, let alone both tests, were met in this case. We therefore deem that issue waived. Donald next complains that the trial court erred in refusing four instructions which he says adequately set out the law on SDCL 22-30-4, taking without knowledge of victim not robbery. The record reflects that the trial court instructed the jury in the words of the statute verbatim. We consider this issue to be without merit. In regard to the next series of proposed instructions, Donald complains that the trial court failed to instruct on the interrelationship between the initial felony and the murder charges. This argument is apparently premised on his argument at the settling of the instructions when he stated: We feel that the state has to show that the underlying felony was completed while engaged in the perpetration or that the homicide occurred while engaged in the commission or perpetration of the felony; and that if there is not a sufficient continuity or nexus, then the defendant would be not guilty of the felony murder statutes (sic). The theory seems to turn on some completion, termination or abandonment of the initial robbery or rape before the homicide, or the occurrence of the robbery after the death of the victim. However, Donald fails to even suggest any factual support for the requested instructions. The trial court is not required to instruct as to matters that find no support in the evidence. State v. Chamley, 310 N.W.2d 153 (S.D.1981). Therefore, we find this issue to be without merit. With respect to the final three proposed instructions, Donald claims they more accurately point out the necessity for causal connection between the unlawful act and the death. Jury instructions, when considered as a whole, are adequate when they correctly state the law and inform the jury. State v. Traversie, 387 N.W.2d 2 (S.D.1986). We have examined the proposed instructions and are satisfied that the trial court adequately informed the jury that acts perpetrated by Donald had to be the proximate cause of the victim's death and that, to be guilty of the felony-murder charges, Donald had to have caused the death while engaged in the perpetration of the crime. We affirm the trial court on all the issues regarding refusing Donald's proposed instructions. In summation, we affirm the convictions. WUEST, C.J., and MILLER, J., concur. HENDERSON, J., specially concurs. SABERS, J., dissents.