Opinion ID: 1595336
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Numbers 2 and 3, instructions defining reasonable doubt.

Text: ¶ 102. Ross argues that the trial court erred in refusing his proposed jury instruction no. 2, which defined reasonable doubt, and proposed jury instruction 3, which stated that all reasonable doubts must be resolved in favor of the defendant. He contends that the refusal of these instructions constituted reversible error because the trial court failed to offer the jury any instruction regarding reasonable doubt. Ross' claim is not supported by the record. The trial court granted jury instruction Number 1, which read: The law presumes every person charged with the commission of a crime to be innocent. This presumption places upon the State the burden of proving the defendant guilty of every material element of the crime with which he is charged. Before you can return a verdict of guilt, the State must prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. The presumption of innocence attends the defendant throughout the trial and prevails at its close unless overcome by evidence which satisfies the jury of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant is not required to prove his innocence. (Emphasis added). The Court also granted the State's first instruction on capital murder, which read: If the State of Mississippi has failed to prove any one or more of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt, then you shall find the defendant, Charles Wayne Ross, not guilty of capital murder in the death of Hershel Ray Yancey. (Emphasis added). ¶ 103. Where a jury is adequately instructed on reasonable doubt, it is not reversible error for the court to refuse to give a defense instruction on it. Howard v. State, 853 So.2d 781, 791 (Miss.2003) (citing Holloway v. State, 809 So.2d 598, 606 (Miss.2000)). Instructions nearly identical to Ross' proposed instructions have been properly excluded where existing instructions adequately address the presumption of innocence and reasonable doubt. See Martin v. State, 854 So.2d 1004, 1009-10 (Miss.2003) (addressing the definition of reasonable doubt); Williams v. State, 667 So.2d 15, 24 (Miss.1996) (addressing the resolution of reasonable doubt). Because Ross' proposed instructions on reasonable doubt had been adequately addressed by other jury instructions, this assignment of error is without merit.