Opinion ID: 1614900
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Instructions D-4, D-5, and D-7

Text: Jury instructions D-4, D-5, and D-7 dealt with constructive possession. All three instructions were denied by the trial judge with no indication of what deficiencies the trial judge saw in them. Appellant contends the trial judge committed reversible error by not advising counsel of the deficiencies of the instructions, as required by Harper, and by not giving one of the instructions as a two-theory instruction as required by Henderson. A close reading of Harper indicates this Court will reverse when the trial court fails in its responsibility to reform or to advise counsel where the proffered instruction relates to a central issue in the case which is not covered by any other instruction given to the jury. ... Harper, 478 So.2d at 1018 (Emphasis added). Because constructive possession was adequately covered in jury instructions D-3 and D-9, this Court holds there was no reversible error under Harper in refusing instructions D-4, D-5, and D-7, and in refusing to reform the instructions or informing defense counsel of the deficiencies in the instructions. In addition, this Court holds the trial court committed no reversible error under Henderson, because instructions D-4, D-5 and D-7 were not two-theory instructions.