Opinion ID: 1981890
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Failure to Give Instructions on Mere Presence of the Defendant at the Scene of the Crime and on Malice

Text: Appellant alleges two errors in the court's instructions to the jury. His first complaint is that the court failed to give his requested instruction that mere presence at the scene of the crime is insufficient to support a guilty verdict. We hold that the trial court did not err in failing to give the requested instruction since its instructions otherwise fairly covered the issue. The trial court instructed the jury that in order to find Appellant guilty, the jury must find that he acted as a principal in either the first or second degree, and if it did not so find, that it must return a verdict of not guilty. The trial court then gave detailed instructions on what is necessary to constitute a principal in the first or second degree, and that in order to convict, the jury must find first, that the defendant was present and, second, that he willfully participated in the crime with the intention to make the crime succeed. The Court carefully defined the requirement of willful participation, and even included that some conduct has to be displayed by the defendant in furtherance of the crime. The court also gave specific examples of the kind of participation required in order to be guilty as an aider or abettor. Although the court did not give the requested instruction, the instructions as a whole made it clear that mere presence at the crime scene alone was not sufficient to convict, and that willful participation was necessary for guilt. Appellant's second complaint is that the court erroneously instructed the jury on the offenses of murder, attempted murder, and assault with intent to murder because the instruction omitted the element of malice. We first note that Appellant made no objection to the instructions on first and second degree murder, and attempted murder, and his only objection to the instruction on aggravated assault was as to the definition of assault. Because Appellant failed to make timely objection to the instructions, the issue is not preserved for our review. Johnson v. State, 310 Md. 681, 531 A.2d 675 (1987). Appellant suggests, however, that we should take cognizance of, and correct, plain error in the instructions material to the rights of the defendant. Maryland Rule 4-325(e). We find that the court's instructions do not constitute error, let alone plain error. The court gave detailed instructions on first degree murder, including the required elements of willfulness, deliberation, and premeditation. The court also correctly defined second degree murder, attempted murder, and assault with intent to murder. As the definitions and the elements of both degrees of murder were adequate, the court was not required to use the word malice. [3] The Court was also not required to discuss justification, excuse, or mitigation, since no justification, excuse, or mitigation was generated or even remotely suggested in this case. In short, there was no error, much less, plain error in the court's instructions.