Does the absence of an instruction defining reasonable doubt result in a jury failing to apply the same reasonable doubt test?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from The People v. Cowan, No. 059675A, S055415 (Cal. 2010):

Moreover, nothing in the record suggests the absence of an instruction defining reasonable doubt caused the jurors to apply a legally incorrect standard or inconsistent standards. Nothing in counsel's closing arguments suggested that anything other than the definition given at the guilt phase applied, and the jurors did not ask any questions or request clarification of the reasonable doubt concept. (See People v. Lewis, supra, 43 Cal.4th at p. 535; People v. Chatman, supra, 38 Cal.4th at p. 408.)

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