Opinion ID: 2607046
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Guilty

Text: Although the jury was instructed as to the requirement of a unanimous verdict, it is not clear from either the instructions or the jury verdict form under which section of the felony assault statute that the jury reached its verdict. The jury may have signed the verdict form concluding that appellant was guilty of felony assault without reaching a unanimous verdict as to either or both of the statements of felony assault set forth in subsections (a) or (b). It is impossible to determine from the jury verdict form whether all 12 members of the jury, or fewer than 12, found appellant guilty of felony assault under subsection (a), subsection (b), or both. We conclude that appellant's constitutional right to a unanimous verdict was not protected by either the jury instructions or the jury verdict form. Both the instructions and the verdict form should have been structured so that it was clear to the jury that it was required to reach a unanimous verdict under subsection (a), subsection (b), or both. We hold that the District Court erred by not properly instructing the jury as to the unanimity of its verdict. We reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.