Opinion ID: 1060723
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Jury Instruction on Criminal Trespass

Text: The defendant next complains that the court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on the charge of criminal trespass, which he alleges is a lesser offense of aggravated burglary. The defendant argues that the evidence presented at trial would have supported a conviction for criminal trespass. We disagree. While it is generally error for a trial court not to instruct the jury on all lesser included offenses, see Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-18-110(a), this Court has interpreted this statutory provision to mean that a trial court must instruct the jury on all lesser included offenses if the evidence introduced at trial is legally sufficient to support a conviction for the lesser offense. State v. Bolden, 979 S.W.2d 587, 593 (Tenn.1998). Failure to instruct is not error where the record clearly shows that the defendant was guilty of the greater offense and the record is devoid of any evidence permitting an inference of guilt of the lesser offense. State v. Stephenson, 878 S.W.2d 530, 550 (Tenn.1994) (record devoid of evidence to support an inference that the defendant was guilty of lesser offenses of voluntary manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide); State v. Boyd, 797 S.W.2d 589, 593 (Tenn.1990); State v. King, 718 S.W.2d 241, 245 (Tenn.1986) (record devoid of any evidence permitting an inference of guilt of any charge lesser than the felony murder with which he was charged). See also State v. Vann, 976 S.W.2d 93, 101 (Tenn.1998) (record devoid of evidence supporting a charge on the offenses of second degree murder and facilitation). Criminal trespass is committed when a person enters or remains on the property without the owner's effective consent. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-14-405. One commits aggravated burglary by entering a habitation without the owner's effective consent and with the intent to commit a felony, in this case, aggravated assault. [1] Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 39-14-402, -403 (1991). The key distinction between the offense of aggravated burglary and criminal trespass is that aggravated burglary requires a showing of intent to commit a felony. The evidence clearly establishes that the defendant not only intended to commit a felony on the premises, he did commit a felony. By his own testimony, the defendant was upset and jealous. He repeatedly asked whether Ms. Wilson had another man inside the house. The defendant shot at Ms. Wilson through the living room window. The evidence is uncontroverted that Ms. Wilson feared imminent injury when she fled with her child and Ms. Gayles to a bedroom closet after the defendant shot through the window and forcibly gained access to the interior of her house. The defendant admitted to displaying a weapon. The defendant shot Ms. Gayles as she hid inside the closet. Thus, the defendant not only intended to, he did commit a felony inside the house after he was denied entrance by the owner, Ms. Wilson. Accordingly, the evidence supported the greater offense, and the record was devoid of evidence supporting the lesser charge of criminal trespass. The trial court was correct in not instructing the jury as to criminal trespass. This issue is without merit.