Court Opinion

ID: 9629185
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:38:54.230411+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:13:02.512490
License: Public Domain

TANZER, J.,
dissenting.
I agree with the conclusion of the majority that the instruction was erroneous, but would hold that the error was harmless.
The victim testified that defendant held the gun four inches from her face, cocked it, told her that the *590gun was loaded, and threatened to kill her if she did not cooperate. The defendant offered no contrary evidence. The lawyers argued the loaded gun issue as one of inference with no mention of presumptions. The actual instruction of the court was in terms of permissible inference; only the preamble was incorrect and the net effect was innocuous at worst.
Under all these circumstances, I cannot believe that a reasonable jury would have found differently. I would so hold beyond a reasonable doubt and affirm the conviction on the ground that the error was harmless.