Opinion ID: 1931111
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Submit Adequate Jury Instructions.

Text: ¶ 25. Jones contends that the instructions offered by defense counsel were inadequate and did not properly instruct the jury on his defense theory of suicide. He cites the proposition that a defendant is entitled to have the jury properly instructed as to the defendant's theory of his defense so long as there is some reasonable credible evidence in the record to support it. Gibson v. State, 731 So.2d 1087 (Miss.1998); Underwood v. State, 708 So.2d 18 (Miss.1998); Sayles v. State, 552 So.2d 1383 (Miss.1989). ¶ 26. The record shows that the jury was properly instructed that the State had the burden to prove every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt and to the exclusion of every reasonable hypothesis consistent with innocence. The instructions also charged the jury that they were to determine the credibility of the witnesses, and that unless the State met its burden of proof, they were to find Jones not guilty. ¶ 27. The jury was further instructed that if there is a material fact or a material circumstance in this case susceptible to two interpretations, one favorable and the other unfavorable to David Allen Jones when the jury has considered such fact and circumstance with all the other evidence, if there is a reasonable doubt as to the correct interpretation you the jury must resolve such doubt in the favor of David Allen Jones and place upon such material fact or material circumstance the interpretation most favorable to him. ¶ 28. As stated above, Jones's defense was that he did not shoot Pam, and he argues that the State did not prove that he shot Pam. This theory was adequately before the jury via the burden of proof instruction given, i.e., that the State must prove every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury was instructed that the State must prove that Jones murdered Pam to the exclusion of every other reasonable hypothesis consistent with innocence, including suicide. The jury, by finding Jones guilty of murder, found that suicide was not a reasonable hypothesis. ¶ 29. Jones has not shown that the outcome of the trial would have been different if an instruction on his suicide theory had been given to the jury. The evidence allegedly supporting his theory was clearly before the jury, and it rejected that theory. There is no reasonable probability that a jury would have failed to convict Jones if a suicide instruction had been granted. See, e.g., Ellis v. State, 708 So.2d 884, 887 (Miss.1998). This claim is without merit.