Court Opinion

ID: 9743497
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:34:52.484396+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:41.593907
License: Public Domain

BUCHANAN, Chief Judge,
dissenting. I dissent for two reasons:
First, as the State has aptly pointed out, Nash failed to cite any relevant authority in his brief and therefore waived the definitional instruction issue. Ind.Rules of Procedure, App.R. 8.3(A)(7), and cases too numerous to cite.
Second, relevant authority does not require the trial court to give a tendered definitional instruction of “knowingly or intentionally” in all circumstances. The giving of definitional instructions is a matter left to the trial court’s sound discretion. McFarland v. State, (1979) Ind., 390 N.E.2d *814989 (“malice”); Coonan v. State, (1978) 269 Ind. 578, 382 N.E.2d 157, cert. denied, 440 U.S. 984, 99 S.Ct. 1798, 60 L.Ed.2d 246; Stevens v. State, (1976) 265 Ind. 411, 354 N.E.2d 727 (“insanity”); Martin v. State, (1974) 262 Ind. 232, 314 N.E.2d 60 reh. den. 317 N.E.2d 430, cert. denied, 420 U.S. 911, 95 S.Ct. 833, 42 L.Ed.2d 841 (“purposely”).
Smith v. State, (1981) Ind., 422 N.E.2d 1179, is distinguishable. It merely stands for the proposition that, if the court determines the jury might be misled without an accompanying definitional instruction of “knowingly or intentionally” and the defendant has tendered no such instruction, he may not obtain reversal on the ground that the trial court refused to give a distinct instruction which contains the words “knowingly or intentionally.” See Johnson v. State, (1981) Ind.App., 426 N.E.2d 91. I am aware of no authority obligating the trial court to give a tendered definitional instruction notwithstanding its conclusion that the instruction is superfluous. I would affirm the conviction.