Opinion ID: 216305
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the timing of the jury instructions

Text: Having concluded that the district court gave a sufficient Carter instruction, the dispute now shifts to a question of timing. Padilla argues that the failure to provide the Carter instruction at the conclusion of the evidence constitutes plain error. In essence, Padilla argues for a second Carter instruction. The Supreme Court in Carter said nothing about the timing of the instruction and certainly gave no indication that duplicate instructions were required. As a general matter, we follow the rule that a defendant is not entitled to an instruction that merely duplicates what the jury has already been told. Lopez-Alvarez, 970 F.2d at 597. In this case, not only was the language of the preliminary Carter instruction sufficient, the timingafter the jury was swornwas sufficient to pass constitutional muster. The significance of the sworn jury is well established. When a jury is sworn, it is entrusted with the obligation to apply the law, and we in turn presume that juries follow instructions given to them throughout the course of the trial. See Richardson v. Marsh, 481 U.S. 200, 211, 107 S.Ct. 1702, 95 L.Ed.2d 176 (1987). In light of the attachment of jeopardy, the jury's oath has been referred to as the start of the actual trial. United States v. Dilg, 700 F.2d 620, 624 (11th Cir.1983); see also Crist v. Bretz, 437 U.S. 28, 37-38, 98 S.Ct. 2156, 57 L.Ed.2d 24 (1978) (jeopardy attaches when jury is sworn). Other decisions have similarly pinpointed the jury's oath as the essential moment with respect to constitutionally required instructions. See United States v. Davila-Nater, 474 F.2d 270, 284-85 (5th Cir.1973) (presumption of innocence instructions given before testimony and alluded to during final jury charge do not constitute reversible error). And in Soto, where the court gave the Carter instruction only during voir dire, we held only that any error in failing to issue a Carter instruction at the close of evidence was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. 519 F.3d at 929-30. See also United States v. Payne, 944 F.2d 1458, 1465 n. 5 (9th Cir.1991) (giving presumption of innocence instructions only prior to the jury's being sworn does not necessarily constitute reversible error). But see Dilg, 700 F.2d at 624-25(issuing the presumption instruction only before the jury is sworn constitutes reversible error). A trial court has substantial discretion in formulating jury instructions. Arizona v. Johnson, 351 F.3d 988, 994 (9th Cir.2003) (A trial judge, as governor of the trial, enjoys wide discretion in the matter of charging the jury.) (internal citations and quotations omitted); see also United States v. Rewald, 889 F.2d 836, 865 (9th Cir.1989) (trial court's discretionary authority includes the timing of admonishments and instructions to the jury). The analysis of whether the timing or omission of a particular jury instruction constitutes reversible error must be based on the individual circumstances of the particular case. See Payne, 944 F.2d at 1464. Here, the court instructed the sworn jury that it could not consider the defendant's choice not to testify only four days before deliberations began. At the conclusion of the trial, the defense failed not once but twice to request an additional Carter instruction when specifically invited to propose instructions or object. The court reminded the jury in its final charge that the defendant had no obligation to testify, and notably nothing in the prosecution's closing argument implicated or undermined this constitutional right. Under these circumstances, not giving a duplicate Carter instruction at the close of evidence can hardly be characterized as plain error. AFFIRMED.