Opinion ID: 1655758
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: instructions on sexual abuse 1st.

Text: Appellant asserts that it was error to instruct the jury on sexual abuse 1st as a lesser included offense of UTM 1st, contending that sexual abuse 1st was simply a separate uncharged offense for which no instruction was warranted. Kotila v. Commonwealth, 114 S.W.3d 226, 242 n. 3 (Ky. 2003), overruled on other grounds by Matheney v. Commonwealth, 191 S.W.3d 599 (Ky., 2006); Houston v. Commonwealth, 975 S.W.2d 925, 929 (Ky.1998). However, as noted in the preceding analysis, the only element that distinguishes UTM 1st from sexual abuse 1st is the victim's willing participation in the illegal conduct. If there is evidence to support a finding of willing participation, which the jury could believe or disbelieve, sexual abuse 1st is a lesser included offense of UTM 1st. In fact, with respect to one of the charges of UTM 1st, the jury obviously did not believe that H.A. was a willing participant and convicted Appellant of the lesser offense of sexual abuse 1st.