Court Opinion

ID: 9523219
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:37:21.210014+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:04:43.724162
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE HOLDRIDGE, specially concurring: I concur in the holding of the majority. There was no error in the trial court answering the jury’s question by reference to the statutory language. I write only to note my belief that the jury was understandably confused by the instruction. The term “at large” clearly superceded the subsequent language in terms of impact, raising to the jury the specter of the petitioner roaming at large, without restriciton. While the remainder of the instruction would seem to allay any concerns on the part of the jury, it cannot be denied that the phrase “at large” has a connotation that, in this context, is misleading and serves only to confuse the jury as to its responsibility. Consideration should be given to revising the statute to remove the phrase “at large.”