Opinion ID: 2587313
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Defendant's Request for a Jury Instruction on the Issue of Venue.

Text: After thus disposing of the parties' motions, the court turned to the issue of jury instructions. Before proceeding, however, Defense Counsel Howard Jameson again raised the issue of venue, suggesting that his client should be allowed to enter a new plea to the amended information. The court confirmed that defendant was pleading not guilty to the amended information, and deemed the amendment filed. Mr. Jameson continued, arguing that the prosecution now was required to prove venue by a preponderance of the evidence, and that an instruction would have to be given to the jury allowing them to make the decision. The court asked defense counsel to wait, stating: I'll hear from you with the proposed instruction at the appropriate time. Toward the end of the jury instruction conference, defense counsel requested an instruction on the issue of venue as follows: The Court: All right. Now, with regard to an instruction with regard to this venue Mr. Jameson: I have no instruction, and I don't find any in CALJIC that would cover the issue. So I have no instruction to submit. The Court: All right. You think venue is a jury question? Mr. Jameson: I believe it is. I believe that the District Attorney's burden is by a preponderance of the evidence, also. Mr. Butts: I'm, frankly, not sure whether it is. Seeing no jury instruction, I'm inclined to believe that it is not. And seeing how it's dealt with pretrial, and that's all I know about the issue. Mr. Jameson: It's a material allegation of the complaint in the information must be proven by the District Attorney. The Court: Okay. Any authority you wish to submit? Mr. Jameson: I don't haveno, I don't have any authority. No. I mean, I have it, but I don't have it in my head. I just know that's the rule of law that venue is an appropriate allegation in the complaint and in the Information, it must be proven by the District Attorney. The Court: All right. Noted. Upon completion of the jury instruction conference, the jury returned to hear closing arguments. No instruction on the issue of venue was given. [End of passage from Court of Appeal opinion.] As noted above, the jury returned a verdict finding defendant guilty of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, and the trial court entered judgment on that verdict.