Court Opinion

ID: 9549316
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:16:09.387053+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:20:08.033967
License: Public Domain

Batjer, J.,
concurring:
I agree that the judgment of the district court must be affirmed; however, in reaching that conclusion, I do not agree that the district court committed error in refusing to give appellant’s proposed instruction “E” to the effect that if there exists a reasonable doubt as to which of two or more degrees an accused is guilty, he shall be convicted of the lowest. NRS 175.201.1
The district court has an affirmative duty to give such an instruction, but only when it is required by the evidence and when there exists a reasonable doubt as to the degree of the crime. State v. Masqua, 502 P.2d 728 (Kan. 1972).
Here there is overwhelming evidence to support a conviction of murder in the first degree. To have given instruction “E”, requested by appellant on the lesser offense in view of the facts of this case, would have permitted the jury to speculate on a degree of homicide.
On the record and all of the instructions given by the district court taken and read together as a whole, I believe the jury was properly instructed.

NRS 175.201:
Every person charged with the commission of a crime shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by competent evidence beyond a reasonable doubt; and when an offense had been proved against him, and there exists a reasonable doubt as to which of two or more degrees he is guilty, he shall be convicted only of the lowest.