Opinion ID: 2084546
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Request for Alibi Instruction

Text: [¶ 6] Kim also offered evidence that he was not present at the scene of the alleged robbery. Ra Meas testified that on the evening of March 30, 1999, he picked Kim up in Portland and drove him to Meas's home in Joffrey, New Hampshire. Meas testified that they arrived at his house at 10:00 P.M. on that same night, and that Kim remained at Meas's house for half an hour before heading off to look for his ex-girlfriend downtown. Meas testified that Kim returned to Meas's house at approximately 12:00 A.M. on March 31, 1999, and that Kim slept in his son's room. Meas also testified that when he woke up around 7:00 A.M. that morning, Kim was there. Later that morning, Meas drove Kim to an Asian plaza in Lowell, Massachusetts. [¶ 7] At the close of trial, Kim requested a jury instruction on his alibi defense. The court declined to give the alibi instruction requested by Kim. We review the denial of a request for a jury instruction for prejudicial error. State v. Lemieux, 2001 ME 46, ¶ 2, 767 A.2d 295, 296. Jury instructions are reviewed in their entirety to determine whether they fairly and correctly apprised the jury in all necessary respects of the governing law. State v. Daniels, 663 A.2d 33, 36 (Me. 1995). [¶ 8] Kim argues that we should adopt the approach of many federal courts and require a specific instruction when a defendant presents evidence that he was not present at the scene of the crime. [4] We have never required a judge to give an alibi instruction, and we decline to do so now. Because traditional alibi instructions are in the nature of a comment by the court on the evidence, such instructions are neither required nor appropriate in most instances. See 14 M.R.S.A. § 1105 (1980); State v. Edwards, 458 A.2d 422, 424-25 (Me.1983); State v. Caron, 382 A.2d 1390, 1390 (Me.1978); Alexander, Maine Jury Instruction Manual § 5-5 (3d ed.1999) (hereinafter Alexander). [¶ 9] Alibi evidence is simply evidence that is inconsistent with the defendant's actual or constructive presence at the time and place of the commission of the crime. It is one method of negating the [State's] case. State v. Jewell, 285 A.2d 847, 850 (Me.1972). [5] If it is sufficient to cast doubt on other evidence of the defendant's presence, alibi evidence may prevent the State from meeting its burden on an element of the crime. [6] As with any such evidence, no separate jury instruction is necessary. The burden of proof remains with the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was the perpetrator of the crime, participating at the time and place of its commission. In other words, the State bears the burden of proving each element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt, and the court must instruct the jury on the elements of the crime and the State's burden of proof. State v. Griffin, 487 A.2d 247, 249 (Me. 1984). But see Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1, 19, 119 S.Ct. 1827, 144 L.Ed.2d 35 (1999). The State is not, however, required to affirmatively disprove each alternative explanation of the events raised by the defense. State v. Hernandez, 1998 ME 73, ¶ 7, 708 A.2d 1022, 1025; State v. Libby, 546 A.2d 444, 450 (Me.1988); Alexander at § 6-7 cmt. (3d ed.2000). [¶ 10] Here, the trial court properly instructed the jury on the elements of the crimes and the State's burden of proof and did not place any burden on the defendant to prove that he was not present at the time and place of the crime. The court did not err in declining to give an alibi instruction. The entry is: Judgment affirmed.