Opinion ID: 1613489
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Were trial court's jury instructions regarding self-defense proper?

Text: Fields contends that certain instructions given to the jury were not supported by the evidence, thereby trial court erred. It is well settled in South Dakota that a trial court is to present only those issues to the jury by way of instruction which find support by competent evidence in the record. State v. Weisenstein, 367 N.W.2d 201, 206 (S.D.1985). On appeal, we review the jury instructions by construing them together and the instructions are not erroneous, if when so construed, they provide a full and correct statement of the law applicable. State v. Grey Owl, 295 N.W.2d 748, 751 (S.D.1980). There is no prejudicial error because a particular instruction did not embody all of the relevant applicable law. State v. Fender, 358 N.W.2d 248, 254 (S.D.1984). Appellant bears the burden to show not only error, but also prejudicial error, to the effect that under the evidence, the jury might and probably would have returned a different verdict if different instructions had been given. Weisenstein, 367 N.W.2d at 206. Error may not be presumed on appeal. Fender, 358 N.W.2d at 254. Fields first argued that Instruction no. 20 should not have been given because there was no evidence presented to indicate that Fodness' activities outside the bar were legal. We disagree. Numerous witnesses testified that Fodness' activities were consistent to one who was trying to break up the scuffle. Additionally, witnesses testified that Fodness was coming to the assistance of Ertz, who was one of the initial combatants. Further, testimony indicated that Fodness may have been simply separating the combatants and admonishing Fields and Padovani to leave the premises. We find that competent evidence existed in the record on this score to support Instruction No. 20. Fields further attacks Instruction no. 20 by stating that since this instruction was given, trial court should also have given an instruction on simple assault. Fields wanted this instruction to enable the jury to determine the lawfulness of Fodness' actions. However, we have stated that on reviewing instructions we construe them together and when so construed are not erroneous if they present a full and correct statement of the law applicable. Weisenstein, 367 N.W.2d at 206. Instruction no. 18 concerns the lawful use of force. Instruction no. 20 concerns the relationship of self-defense to unlawful attack. Instruction no. 21 deals with one who seeks or induces a quarrel and the right to stand one's ground in self-defense against an adversary. Instruction no. 22 concerns an aggressor's right to self-defense under certain circumstances. When we read and construe these instructions as a whole, we find no error by trial court in not giving an instruction on simple assault. See, Grey Owl, 295 N.W.2d at 750. Instructions no. 18, 20, 21 and 22, considered with other instructions given by trial court, adequately instructed the jury on the types of force to be considered when used against another person. SDCL 22-18-1, the simple assault provision, is implicitly contained in the instructions by trial court giving other adequate instructions on the concepts of lawful and unlawful force. See, State v. Huth, 334 N.W.2d 485, 489 (S.D.1983). Therefore, construing the instructions together, we find that it was not error for trial court to refuse to submit an instruction on simple assault. Fields next asserts that trial court committed error by giving both Instructions no. 21 and 22, alleging that no evidentiary support existed for them. Fields asserts that these instructions were in error because it was shown by trial testimony that he was not the initial instigator of the altercation, i.e., the altercation between Padovani and Fields. However, we must note that the instructions do not contain the provision that Fields had been the person who initially instigated the affray, i.e., one involved in the first blows. Further, as we have mentioned, testimony and evidence involving the actions and intentions of the parties are in dispute, but competent evidence exists in the record that Fields may have been an aggressor at various segments of the incident. Additionally, jury instructions apply not only to defendant but to Fodness as well. There is evidentiary support for Instructions no. 21 and 22. A trial court must instruct a jury as warranted by the evidence presented. Grey Owl, 295 N.W.2d at 750. We rule that trial court committed no error in submitting these various instructions to the jury.