Opinion ID: 2228667
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Refusal of Defendant's Tendered Instruction

Text: The trial court refused the following instruction, tendered by defendant: Knowingly as used in this section is synonymous with purposely as used in prior murder statutes. Thus, an act is done knowingly or purposely if it is willed, is the product of a conscious design, intent, or plan that it be done, and is done with an awareness of the probable consequences. In reviewing the refusal of a tendered instruction, this court will consider: (1) whether the tendered instruction correctly states the law; (2) whether there was evidence in the record to support the giving of the instruction; and (3) whether the substance of the tendered instruction is covered by other instructions that are given. Williams v. State (1980), 273 Ind. 105, 402 N.E.2d 954; Davis v. State (1976), 265 Ind. 476, 355 N.E.2d 836. Defendant contends that his tendered instruction was taken from Burkhalter v. State, (1979), 272 Ind. 282, 397 N.E.2d 596, 598, and has been quoted with approval by this court as a definition of knowingly. See Horne v. State (1983), Ind., 445 N.E.2d 976, 979, and Hulen v. State (1980), 274 Ind. 695, 413 N.E.2d 907, 909. However, preceding the Burkhalter language quoted in the tendered instruction is the following: Defendant contends that there was no evidence that he killed the victim either knowingly or intentionally, the essential element of culpability in the definition of murder. [citation omitted] An individual must either have a conscious objective to kill another [citation omitted] or be aware of a high probability that his conduct will result in the death of that other individual. [citation omitted] This element of culpability has been described as synonymous with the term purposely as used in prior murder statutes[.] 397 N.E.2d at 598. The element of culpability that is said to be synonymous with purposely is not mere knowingly but rather the phrase knowingly or intentionally.  It is thus incorrect to equate purposely with knowingly. In the present case, where the murder charge alleged not intentionally but knowingly kill, the tendered instruction would have given the jury an erroneous standard of culpability. Furthermore, the term knowingly was correctly defined by other instructions given by the court. Judgment Affirmed. SHEPARD, C.J., and DeBRULER, GIVAN and PIVARNIK, JJ., concur.