Opinion ID: 388809
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reinstructing the Petit Jury

Text: 51 During the second day of jury deliberations, the court received a note from the jurors requesting assistance on the definition of defraud as it related to the defendants' intention to defraud in this case. Although supplemental instructions were proposed by defendants, the court answered this question by rereading the original jury charge. The propriety and correctness of the original instructions has not been raised as an issue on appeal. Reinstructing the jury by rereading the original instructions was a proper course of action, well within the discretion of the trial court. This issue was previously considered in United States v. Braverman, 522 F.2d 218, 224 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 985, 96 S.Ct. 392, 46 L.Ed.2d 302 (1975), where this court stated: 52 The necessity, extent, and character of any supplemental instructions to the jury are matters within the discretion of the district court. (citation omitted). 53 This issue was also raised in United States v. Papia, 560 F.2d 827, 843 (7th Cir. 1977), where the court reiterated the correctness of rereading instructions that properly state the law applicable to this case. Accord, United States v. McCall, 592 F.2d 1066, 1068-69 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 441 U.S. 936, 99 S.Ct. 2061, 60 L.Ed.2d 665 (1979). Where the defendants-appellants do not question the correctness of the original instructions, and the rereading was responsive to the jury inquiry, there is no error. 54 The defendants sought a supplementary instruction that, with regard to the specific intent to deceive element, the good faith intent of any defendant to make a business enterprise succeed is a relevant factor to be considered by you with intent to defraud. The defendants' theory was that any misrepresentations which occurred in this case were innocent errors, and that the defendants made bona fide attempts to make the NPRD and MRIC corporations' operations successes. However, even the most praiseworthy attempt to make a business succeed does not excuse the use of deliberate misrepresentations made to deceive. See Linn v. United States, 234 F. 543, 552 (7th Cir. 1916). The jury's question appropriately related to the representations made by the defendants, and inquired as to the requirements of intent to defraud as they related to this. 55 The instructions given by the court properly stated the law on specific intent and good faith of individual defendants as it applied to mail and wire fraud. The court's instructions continually emphasized that the defendants had to knowingly and willfully participate in the scheme to defraud, through representations made knowing they were false and (made) with the intent to defraud. The jurors were instructed that intent to defraud meant ... the acts were done knowingly, with the specific purpose to deceive in order to cause financial loss to another or financial gains to one's self. (emphasis added). The jurors were read the following instruction on good faith and specific intent: 56 Good faith constitutes a complete defense to one charged with an offense of which fraudulent intention is the essential element. Anyone who acts with honest intentions is not chargeable with fraudulent intent. One who expresses an opinion honestly held by him, or a belief honestly maintained by him, is not chargeable with fraudulent intent, even though his opinion is in error or his belief is mistaken. Evidence which establishes only that a person made a mistake in judgment or an error in judgment or in management or was careless does not establish fraudulent intent. 57 The question of whether a jury has been properly instructed is to be determined not upon consideration of one single paragraph, sentence, phrase or word, but upon the charge as a whole. United States v. Walsh, 627 F.2d 88 (7th Cir. 1980). In this case, the court did not err in excluding defendants' supplemental instructions. 58