Court Opinion

ID: 9544927
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 17:03:33.077302+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:13:47.587780
License: Public Domain

DONNELLY, Judge (dissenting). I respectfully dissent to the opinion issued on the motion for rehearing. While I agree with the majority opinion that the Uniform Criminal Jury Instruction given by the trial court did not follow the language of U.J.I.Crim. 1.50, the contention has been raised by appellee on motion for rehearing that it was the appellant who in fact proffered the exact form of instruction given by the court below. No response to this contention has been required of appellant although a response may be required under N.M.R.Crim.App. 602(a), N.M.S.A. 1978. While I agree with the well established rule that this court may not properly consider affidavits attached to briefs on appeal, review matters outside the record, or address matters not properly raised on the initial appeal, I would invoke this Court’s authority under N.M.R.Crim.App.P. 206, to supplement the record in order to properly address the issue of whether the alleged error in the instructions was in fact caused or invited by defendant. See State v. Edwards, 54 N.M. 189, 217 P.2d 854 (1950); State v. Mills, 94 N.M. 17, 606 P.2d 1111 (Ct.App.1980). I believe the matter raised on the motion for rehearing is within the purview of the issues raised on the initial appeal. Moreover, although appellee has failed to move to supplement the record on appeal, neither has appellant been permitted to respond to the contention raised on rehearing, that appellant requested the instruction, nor has appellant shown that it voiced any objection to this instruction before it was given. State v. Noble, 90 N.M. 360, 563 P.2d 1153 (1977); State v. Rodriguez, 81 N.M. 503, 469 P.2d 148 (1970). If appellant in fact is shown to have led the trial court into error in the giving of the instruction in question, the case should not be reversed on appeal. I would address this issue on the merits rather than deny the motion for rehearing.