Opinion ID: 2516369
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Requested Jury Instruction Number Three

Text: ś 76 The trial court also declined defendant's requested jury instruction number three on witness credibility. Defendant argues his instruction was more comprehensive and precise than the Recommended Arizona Jury Instruction (RAJI) which the trial court used. Requested instruction number three read: In deciding the facts of this case, you should consider what testimony to accept, and what to reject. You may accept everything a witness says, or part of it, or none of it. In evaluating testimony, you should use the tests of accuracy and truthfulness that people use in determining matters of importance in everyday life, including such factors as the witness' ability to see, hear, or know the things the witness testified about; the quality of the witness' memory; the witness' manner while testifying; whether the witness has any motive, bias, or prejudice; whether the witness is contradicted by anything the witness said or wrote before trial, or by other evidence; and, the reasonableness of the witness' testimony when considered in the light of the other evidence. Consider all the evidence in light of reason, common sense and experience. ś 77 The trial court gave RAJI Instruction No. 18 concerning witness credibility, which provides: You must decide the believability of witnesses. In doing so, take into account such things as their ability and opportunity to observe, their memory and manner while testifying, any motive or prejudice they might have, and any inconsistent statements. Consider each witness' testimony in light of all the other evidence in the case. ś 78 The defendant is not entitled to a jury instruction in language precisely to his liking, as long as the requisite instructions are adequate. See State v. Barker, 94 Ariz. 383, 388, 385 P.2d 516, 519 (1963). In this case, while defendant may have preferred the expanded instruction, he does not argue that RAJI No. 18 was legally inadequate. In fact, the instruction given sets forth adequately the standard for assessing witness credibility.