Does the court have a sua sponte duty to instruct the jury regarding aiding and abetting liability?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Suess, G050203 (Cal. App. 2015):

The trial court correctly instructed the jury regarding felony murder. The court did not, however, instruct the jury regarding aiding and abetting liability. Defendant argues that the trial court had a sua sponte duty to do so as a "'"general principle[] of law relevant to the issues raised by the evidence."'" (People v. Breverman (1998) 19 Cal.4th 142, 154.)

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