Opinion ID: 2051477
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: issues

Text: Defendant argues that the trial court erred in refusing to give his tendered instruction number 7 which advised that guilt beyond a reasonable doubt may not be established by showing the mere opportunity to commit the crime. While the instruction is a correct statement of the law, the evidence did show more. Further, it is not reversible error for the trial court to refuse to give an instruction when the substance thereof is adequately covered by other instructions given by the court. Tawney v. State, (1982) Ind., 439 N.E.2d 582, 587. The trial court instructed the jury that the State must prove the Defendant guilty of each essential element of the crime charged, beyond a reasonable doubt, and fully explained the meaning of the term reasonable doubt to the jury. Thus, it was not error for the court to refuse to give Defendant's tendered instruction number 7. See Baker v. State, (1973) 260 Ind. 618, 627, 298 N.E.2d 445, 451 ( rehearing denied ).