Opinion ID: 2638727
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Oral Instruction

Text: ¶ 15 Bass further argues that regardless of the written instruction, the oral instruction was so infected with error as to have hopelessly confused the jury. We agree the transcript depicts an oral instruction fraught with problems. [2] ¶ 16 While it is unclear whether the errors occurred because the judge misspoke or were due to mistranscription by the court reporter, our opinion in State v. Chavarria presents the logical approach. 116 Ariz. 401, 402, 569 P.2d 831, 832 (1977). There, we refused to treat the error as a mere transcription problem when dealing with a matter as serious as giving up the important right to jury trial. We held that despite our factual findings as to the probable source of the error, we could not be satisfied with mere inferences ... that the court reporter made a mistake in transcription. Id. Thus, we treated the error as an omission in the proceedings. Similarly, we are not convinced by compelling evidence here that the error lies with the court reporter. We will therefore presume that the jury was instructed as the transcript reflects and proceed to the determination of whether that error is fundamental. ¶ 17 State v. Gallegos, our guiding rule, held that error in a jury instruction is reversible if the instruction, taken as a whole, supports a reasonable presumption that the jurors would be misled. 178 Ariz. 1, 10, 870 P.2d 1097, 1106 (1994); see also State v. Schrock, 149 Ariz. 433, 440, 719 P.2d 1049, 1056 (1986). The oral instruction on superseding cause, taken as a whole, cannot support that presumption. There is no evidence that the jury was misled, and [m]ere speculation that the jury was confused is insufficient to establish actual jury confusion. Gallegos, 178 Ariz. at 11, 870 P.2d at 1107 (citing State v. Walton, 159 Ariz. 571, 578, 769 P.2d 1017, 1024 (1989)). ¶ 18 The issue is whether the jury was confused in its task. Here, the jurors' confusion, if any, would have been dispelled by the error-free written instruction which correctly advised them of their charge. Thus, we do not presume juror confusion in the absence of supporting evidence, and we cannot find fundamental error where the jury benefitted from a sufficiently clear written instruction.