Opinion ID: 2534025
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Theory of the case jury instruction

Text: Foster claims that his trial counsel was ineffective for failure to seek a proper theory of the case jury instruction on reasonable mistake of fact as to consent. In fact, Foster's trial counsel proposed such an instruction. [39] The district court did not accept the instruction, however, finding instead that other instructions adequately instructed the jury on this issue. This court affirmed the district court's ruling in Foster's direct appeal, and the decision on that point is the law of this case. [40] Thus, Foster cannot demonstrate prejudice, i.e., that but for counsel's alleged error, the result of the trial would have been different. Moreover, the record demonstrates that Foster's counsel made reasonable efforts to include theory of the case jury instructions, and as such, his performance did not fall below an objective standard of reasonableness. Accordingly, the district court did not err in rejecting this claim.