Court Opinion

ID: 9600594
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:28:34.270398+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:53.281539
License: Public Domain

*149TURSI, Judge,
specially concurring.
Because I agree that the instruction on theft, given by the trial court, when read in its entirety, does not rise to the level of plain error, I do concur. However, because the instruction is suspectible to a reading which erroneously states the law. I would disapprove of its use.
The instruction given, which substantially tracks ColoJ.I.Crim. 16.1, reads as follows:
“A person commits the crime of theft if;
He knowingly obtains or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization; and intends to deprive such other person of the use or benefit of the thing of value.
The elements of theft are therefore:
1) Knowingly:
a) obtaining or exercising control over
b) anything of value of another
c) which is the property of another
2) Without authorization
3) With specific intent to deprive such other person permanently of the use or benefit of the thing of value.”
Although the first full paragraph accurately follows the pertinent part of the theft statute, § 18-4-401, C.R.S.1973 (1978 Repl.Vol. 8), the next paragraph breaking down the elements may be read so as to require no' culpable mental state for the element “without authorization.” This interpretation is inconsistent with the plain wording of the statute and should not be used.
To avoid this problem, I suggest the following simple changes in the form of the instruction:
A person commits the crime of theft if:
He knowingly obtains or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization; and intends to deprive such other person of the use or benefit of the thing of value.
The elements of theft are therefore:
1) Knowingly:
a) obtaining or exercising control over
b) anything of value of another
c) which is the property of another
d)without authorization
2) With specific intent to deprive such other -person permanently of the use or benefit of the thing of value, (changes emphasized)