Opinion ID: 2229966
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Instructions on Aiding and Abetting.

Text: Welch contends that the district court erred in giving an instruction on aiding and abetting on the charge of distribution to a minor. The court gave an instruction on aiding and abetting but did not specify the charges to which the instruction was directed. Welch argues that the instruction was error as it pertains to the distribution charge because Brown, a minor, could not have been the principal in the crime. Therefore, Welch could not be an aider and abettor. The State argues the instruction was proper under the theory that Welch may have transferred the cocaine to one of the other passengers in the car who then transferred it to Brown. We believe that Welch failed to preserve the error he now alleges occurred on this issue. Prior to the completion of the defendant's case, there was a short, informal discussion outside the presence of the jury between counsel and the court concerning the appropriateness of an instruction on aiding and abetting. Later, the court presented the attorneys with a proposed set of instructions which included an aiding and abetting instruction. At that time, defense counsel was given an opportunity to make any objections to the instructions on the record. Defense counsel did not voice any objection to the instruction on aiding and abetting. We have previously held that to preserve error counsel must make a specific objection to the instructions in their final form. State v. Sallis, 262 N.W.2d 240, 248 (Iowa 1978). In the absence of such an objection, any alleged error in the instruction is waived. State v. Bell, 223 N.W.2d 181, 185 (Iowa 1974). Defense counsel did not object to the aiding and abetting instruction at the time the final instructions were presented to the attorneys. Although there had been informal discussions between counsel and the court concerning the propriety of giving this instruction, the court should have been advised of counsel's objection to the instruction when the formal record was made. In the absence of such an objection, the court was justified in assuming any objection had been abandoned. See State v. Washington, 257 N.W.2d 890, 895 (Iowa 1977) (any ground of exception not particularly specified is considered as abandoned), cert. denied, 435 U.S. 1008, 98 S.Ct. 1881, 56 L.Ed.2d 390 (1978). We hold that error, if any, in giving an aiding and abetting instruction was not preserved.