Opinion ID: 2443037
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: jury instructions/affirmative defenses

Text: During oral argument to this court, Findley's counsel conceded that Findley was not entitled to an instruction as to the affirmative defense for first degree murder under Ark.Code Ann. § 5-10-102(b), as the proof shows that Findley was armed with a deadly weapon during the time the offense was committed. Findley insists, however, that the trial court erred in not instructing the jury under section 5-10-101(b), which provides that it is an affirmative defense to [a prosecution for capital murder], in which the defendant was not the only participant, that the defendant did not commit the homicidal act or in any way solicit, command, induce, procure, counsel, or aid its commission. After hearing arguments from counsel, the trial court ruled that, based on the evidence, there was no rational basis for giving the instructions and that the instructions would confuse, rather than assist, the jury. The trial court's use of the term rational basis tracks our language in O'Rourke v. State, 298 Ark. 144, 765 S.W.2d 916 (1989), in which we indicated there was no rational basis for giving the affirmative defense instruction for felony murder since there was no evidence the defendant did not kill his parents or aid in the commission of their murders. More recently, we have said that where there is even the slightest evidence to warrant an instruction, it is error to refuse it. Dunlap v. State, 303 Ark. 222, 795 S.W.2d 920 (1990). Under either standard, the trial court was correct in refusing the instruction. An examination of the record, as a whole, reveals that Findley schemed to rob Phillips, brought him to the rendezvous site, obtained the gun used in the homicide immediately prior to Phillips' death, and then made arrangements for, and participated in, the disposition of Phillips' remains. There was simply no evidence to warrant instructing the jury that Findley did not in any way solicit, command, induce, procure, counsel, or aid in Phillips' murder.