Opinion ID: 1177897
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Premeditation and Deliberation Defined.

Text: Jury Instruction Number 11 generally described the time lapse necessary to form malice aforethought prior to a killing. The instruction stated that it was only necessary that the act of killing be preceded by and be the result of a concurrence of will, deliberation and premeditation on the part of the slayer, ... . Appellant contends that the instruction is incomprehensible to jurors as it fails to define premeditation and deliberation. He then argues that this deficiency, coupled with the rejection of his proffered instructions, mandates reversal. There is no merit to this claim. This instruction is identical to one previously upheld by this court. Scott v. State, 92 Nev. 552, 554 n. 2, 554 P.2d 735, 737 n. 2 (1976); see also State v. Fisko, 58 Nev. 65, 80, 70 P.2d 1113, 1118 (1937). In Scott, however, the appellant did not contend that the instruction was an inadequate definition of premeditation and deliberation. The unsuccessful challenge was that the instruction failed to distinguish between first and second degree murder. In People v. Anderson, 70 Cal.2d 15, 73 Cal. Rptr. 550, 447 P.2d 942 (1968), the court recognized that the California Legislature did not intend to give the words `deliberate' and `premeditated' other than their ordinary dictionary meanings. Id. 70 Cal.2d at 26, 73 Cal. Rptr. at 556, 447 P.2d at 948. In the instant case, other instructions given carefully differentiated first from second degree murder and counsel for both sides argued the lack of or presence of these distinguishing factors of premeditation and deliberation in their closing arguments. There is nothing to indicate that such words are used in law other than in their ordinary sense. Although appellant's instructions would have expended on the meaning of those terms, the law is substantially encompassed in the instructions given. Kelso v. State, 95 Nev. 37, 44, 588 P.2d 1035, 1040 (1979). Geary v. State, 91 Nev. at 793, 544 P.2d at 423. Finally, the state did show the bases for finding premeditation and deliberation from the fact that appellant removed the victim's gun from the service station, carried it in his sock for an appreciable period of time during which he worked alongside of the victim, was short of money, and had a motive for robbery, had an immediate desire to return to Canada and shot the victim twice while the victim was facing a wall installing paneling.