Opinion ID: 2632884
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Instructions Diluting Prosecution's Reasonable Doubt Proof Burden

Text: The court instructed the jury using the standard instructions on circumstantial evidence (CALJIC Nos. 2.01, 2.02, 8.83, and 8.83.1). Defendant claims these instructions had the effect of diluting or undermining the prosecution's burden of proving defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. We have rejected the identical argument (see People v. Crittenden (1994) 9 Cal.4th 83, 142-144, 36 Cal.Rptr.2d 474, 885 P.2d 887), and defendant gives us no good reason to reconsider that decision now. The court also gave various other standard instructions on such matters as the respective duties of judge and jury (CALJIC No. 1.00), discrepancies in testimony (CALJIC No. 2.21.1), weighing conflicting testimony (CALJIC No. 2.22), sufficiency of evidence of one witness (CALJIC No. 2.27), and motive (CALJIC No. 2.51). Defendant claims these instructions also diluted the reasonable doubt standard, but, again, we have rejected similar claims on the basis that the court's instructions on evaluating evidence and testimony must be read in context with its other instructions on the prosecution's burden of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt. (E.g., People v. Maury (2003) 30 Cal.4th 342, 429, 133 Cal.Rptr.2d 561, 68 P.3d 1; People v. Snow (2003) 30 Cal.4th 43, 97,132 Cal.Rptr.2d 271, 65 P.3d 749; People v. Frye (1998) 18 Cal.4th 894, 958, 77 Cal.Rptr.2d 25, 959 P.2d 183; People v. Crittenden, supra, 9 Cal.4th at p. 144, 36 Cal.Rptr.2d 474, 885 P.2d 887.)