Opinion ID: 2106628
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Failure to Give a Requested Instruction on Eyewitness Identification Testimony

Text: The defendant requested five jury instructions concerning eyewitness identification testimony: One instruction stated essentially that the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant perpetrated the crime, that identification testimony is an expression of belief or impression, and that its value depends upon such factors as the opportunity the witness had to observe, the lighting, the witness's previous acquaintance with the defendant, etc. Another stated in effect that identification testimony must be scrutinized carefully. Another stated that no testimony is more uncertain and less reliable than identification testimony and that in numerous cases such testimony has been in error. Another included a list of factors the jury should consider in evaluating identification testimony. This instruction was derived from recommended federal practice. [4] The trial court rejected all of these instructions and gave the standard instruction on eyewitness identification, Wis. J I Criminal, No. 141, which states simply that: The identification of the defendant is in issue in this case. If you find that the crime alleged was committed, before you may find the defendant guilty you must be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is the person who committed [the crime]. In rejecting the defendant's requested instructions and in giving the standard instruction, the court relied on Chapman v. State, 69 Wis.2d 581, 230 N.W.2d 824 (1971). In Chapman, the defendant requested instructions to the effect that identification testimony is opinion evidence to be scrutinized with great care and caution. This court held that giving the standard jury instructions on eyewitness identification, plus the standard jury instructions on the credibility of the witnesses and the presumption of innocence, sufficiently and adequately informed the jury of the possibility of human error and the need to scrutinize carefully all testimony, including identification testimony. The only difference between the instructions given in this case and the identification instructions requested by the defendant is that (1) the instructions requested included statements to the effect that identification testimony is highly suspect, and (2) the requested instructions applied the factors to be used in weighing the credibility of testimony in general to the problem of identification testimony in particular. In Chapman, this court held that an instruction characterizing all identification evidence as suspect is improper because it is too favorable to the defense. 69 Wis.2d 585-6. In Chapman, this court also held that instructions geared specifically to identification testimony may be redundant in light of the other instructions given. 69 Wis.2d 585-6. In arguing that the eyewitness identification instructions given are inadequate in this case, the defendant relies on some specific identification instructions that have been recommended by federal courts for use where the case turns on the identification of a single eyewitness. [5] At least some of the instructions recommended by the federal courts would also have been correct under Wisconsin law. However, we have very recently held that A trial court has wide discretion as to instructions. [Citation omitted.] If the instructions of the [trial] court adequately cover the law applicable to the facts, this court will not find error in the refusal of special instructions even though the refused instructions themselves would not be erroneous. State v. Lenarchick, 74 Wis.2d 425, 455, 247 N.W.2d 80 (1976). [17] Despite the fact that instructions based on federal law would have also been correct, the trial court did not err in rejecting them. Though Mrs. Read's identification was disputed by others, it is undisputed that the tavern was well lighted, that she got the best look at the robbers of all of the three eyewitnesses, and that she identified the defendant relatively soon after the crime. Though trial courts must recognize that standard jury instructions must on occasion be tailored to the specific case, this is not a case which necessarily requires an elaborate jury instruction on the factors to consider in weighing identification testimony. The trial court instructions were proper. The instructions given in this case admonished the jury to scrutinize all of the evidence with utmost caution, that the weight given to the witnesses' testimony may vary, that the jury must take into account their own common knowledge of life, that in considering credibility they should consider the witnesses' conduct, demeanor, interest or bias, clearness of recollection, opportunity to observe and know the matters testified to, their intelligence, their motives, prior inconsistent statements, prior convictions of crime, and the reasonableness of their testimony. We find these instructions given in this case entirely adequate here.