Opinion ID: 3010867
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Proposed Alternative Instruction

Text: In addition to posing his objection, Russell's counsel proposed an alternative jury instruction, one which required specific unanimity as to the series of offenses under the CCE count. In our view, this constitutes an additional ground for applying a harmless error standard in this case.7 The failure to give the defendant's proposed jury instruction formed the primary basis for our decision in Edmonds. While our holding was certainly premised upon our discussion as to whether the court's charge was sufficient to assure jury unanimity, our primary focus was _________________________________________________________________ 6. The dissent also urges that because Russell's counsel objected to instructions 51 and 43 (neither of which had anything to do with Edmonds), but failed to object to the general unanimity instruction at the same time, the issue was not preserved. However, as we have noted, Russell's counsel believed that a special verdict form was required by Edmonds. This belief, while incorrect, was not unreasonable. At the time Russell's counsel specifically objected to jury instructions 51 and 43, he did not know that the judge would not be using his proposed special verdict form. Although a special verdict form is not required, from the perspective of Russell's counsel a general unanimity instruction coupled with a special verdict form would have assured specific unanimity. Therefore, defense counsel had no reason to object to the unanimity instruction until the judge had ruled on his request for a special verdict. Again, the underlying purpose of Rule 30 is to put the judge on notice as to potential errors. Here, as we discussed above, we believe the judge was put on notice of an Edmonds problem. 7. Defendant's proposed jury instruction Number 41 stated in pertinent part that [y]ou as a jury, must agree unanimously on the three acts which constitute the continuing series of Federal Drug Law violations.