Opinion ID: 2607856
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Additional Points Claimed to Contribute to Cumulative Error

Text: Defendant raises three additional errors which she claims added to the cumulative error which occurred at this trial: (1) denial of a change of venue; (2) repetitive and cumulative instructions on the charge of murder; and (3) failure to give a self-defense instruction alerting the jury to subjective factors, such as physical characteristics of defendant, which she claims made her actions more reasonable. Defendant failed to direct this Court to any authority and failed to otherwise make an argument in support of her contention that the court erred in denying a change of venue. Defendant's brief does not suffice to present the question for our review. State v. Rhodes, 77 N.M. 536, 425 P.2d 47 (1967). The trial court possesses broad discretion in dealing with motions for change of venue, and its decisions on the issue will not be disturbed on appeal absent a showing of an abuse of that discretion. State v. Montano, 93 N.M. 436, 601 P.2d 69 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, 93 N.M. 683, 604 P.2d 821 (1979). Jury instructions 11 and 20 given by the trial court repeated the order of deliberations which the jury was to follow in this case. These two instructions were based on NMSA 1978, UJI Crim. 2.40 and 50.12 (Repl.Pamp. 1982). The Use Note for the current version of NMSA 1978, UJI Crim. 50.12 (Supp. 1983), explains that the instruction should not be given for homicide charges. We note that a court should refrain from giving repetitive jury instructions. See White Auto Stores v. Reyes, 223 F.2d 298 (10th Cir.1955). The repetition in this case was, however, not prejudicial. State ex rel. State Highway Commission v. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Co., 76 N.M. 587, 417 P.2d 68 (1966). Defendant failed to tender any self-defense instruction similar to the one she now contends should have been given. We will not review instructions on appeal where defendant neither objected at trial to the instruction given nor tendered her desired instruction. State v. Blea, 101 N.M. 323, 681 P.2d 1100 (1984).