Opinion ID: 2600609
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Unconstitutionality of the Reasonable Doubt Instruction

Text: The trial court instructed on reasonable doubt with CALJIC No. 2.90 (1994 rev.). [13] Defendant raises various objections to the constitutionality of this instruction, all of which have been rejected by this court. (See People v. Ray (1996) 13 Cal.4th 313, 347 [52 Cal.Rptr.2d 296, 914 P.2d 846] [citing cases upholding the traditional definitions of reasonable doubt in capital trials]; see also People v. Hearon (1999) 72 Cal.App.4th 1285, 1287 [85 Cal.Rptr.2d 424] [given universal approval of this instruction by both California courts and the Ninth Circuit, issue of its constitutionality is conclusively settled].)