Opinion ID: 2623122
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Instruction to limit the effect of sympathy and prejudice

Text: In a criminal action, a trial court must instruct the jury on the law applicable to the defendant's theories for which there is supporting evidence. When considering the refusal of the trial court to give a specific instruction, the evidence must be viewed by the appellate court in the light most favorable to the party requesting the instruction. [Citation omitted.] State v. Gholston, 272 Kan. 601, 615, 35 P.3d 868 (2001), cert. denied 536 U.S. 963 (2002). Holmes argues that the district court erred in refusing to instruct the jury that it should set aside sympathy and prejudice in deciding the matter. See PIK Crim. 3d 51.07. He reasons the instruction was necessary to ensure a fair trial because one or two of Smith's family members began crying and were escorted out of the courtroom and as a result that the jury was influenced by that observation. The State relies on an earlier version of the PIK instruction in arguing that the Notes on Use section recommends that the instruction not be given in the absence of very unusual circumstances. See PIK Crim. 2d 51.07 (1994 Supp.). The district court utilized this standard as well and refused to give an instruction. However, no Notes on Use follow PIK Crim. 3d 51.07, which was applicable to this case. Instead, the PIK instruction states that the instruction which originally appeared has been deleted because it was disapproved for general use, citing State v. Harmon, 254 Kan. 87, 865 P.2d 1011 (1993); State v. Reser, 244 Kan. 306, 767 P.2d 1277 (1989); State v. Sully, 219 Kan. 222, 547 P.2d 344 (1976); and State v. Maggard, 26 Kan. App. 2d 888, 995 P.2d 916 (2000). The State's reliance on PIK Crim. 2d 51.07 and Reser is thus unpersuasive. The committee on pattern jury instructions and the defendant cite State v. Rhone, 219 Kan. 542, 548 P.2d 752 (1976), as an example of when the instruction should be approved. In Rhone, the State's key witness was ill from cancer and unable to testify on the stand. The parties and jury were taken to the witness' residence to hear the witness' testimony. As a result, the trial court gave the instruction to the effect that neither prejudice nor sympathy should be allowed to influence the verdict, in substantial accord with that stated in PIK Crim. 2d 51.07. The committee on pattern jury instructions only provides the Rhone circumstance as guidance on when the trial judge should instruct PIK Crim. 3d 51.07. Holmes' situation does not compare to the situation in Rhone. In Rhone, the jury was at the witness' residence, not in the courtroom, and the situation lasted as long as her testimony. In Holmes' case, the incidents took place in the courtroom, and the incidents were brief since the family members were escorted from the courtroom after they started crying. In the light most favorable to Holmes, circumstances in this case did not warrant the instruction be given to the jury.