Is a jury's failure to grant defendant's request for an instruction that he was not a primary caregiver of a qualified patient a reversible error?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Mearns, C072920 (Cal. App. 2013):

In any event, the failure to grant defendant's request for the instruction is harmless because the jury necessarily resolved the issue adversely to him under proper instructions in finding him guilty of transportation. (People v. Wright (2006) 40 Cal.4th 81, 98.) As mentioned in footnote 5, ante, if the jury believed defendant was acting as a caregiver of qualified patients (or in connection with his own medical needs), it was instructed that this transportation was lawful. As part of the evidence under consideration, the jury had before it the stipulation to the status of defendant as caregiver and the four young men as qualified patients. Therefore, the jury necessarily rejected defendant's claim that he was acting exclusively in that capacity in transporting the marijuana, and would not have any factual basis for coming to a different conclusion in connection with possession for sale. Defendant's cavalier claim that the jury disregarded this instruction in favor of the prosecutor's argument (that even if a primary caregiver, defendant was still guilty of transportation), even if an accurate characterization of that argument, runs afoul of the authority cited in footnote 3, ante. We therefore reject his claim of reversible error.

Other Questions


Does a defendant's failure to object or request clarifying or corrective language in a jury instruction forfeit an appellate challenge to that instruction? (California, United States of America)
Is a defendant's failure to testify at the penalty phase an error not to instruct the jury to refrain from drawing any inference from the fact that defendant did not testify at penalty phase? (California, United States of America)
Is a defendant's failure to object to or request that an instruction be omitted or omitted from a jury's instructions forfeits his claim on appeal? (California, United States of America)
Is a defendant's failure to request additional instructions or request clarification of existing instructions a waiver of their right to complain of any omission on appeal? (California, United States of America)
Does a court have reversible error in instructing the jury as to the failure of defendants to testify when viewed in the after-light? (California, United States of America)
Does the Court's error in instructing the jury that a jury need not agree whether Defendant Committed a Premeditated Murder or Lying-in-wait Murder require reversal? (California, United States of America)
If a jury is instructed to convict a defendant of robbery based solely on the taking of items from the victim's person, is this instructional error inconsequential or prejudicial? (California, United States of America)
Is a court's failure to instruct the jury how to assess credibility or how to determine whether defendant's statements were confessions or admissions an error? (California, United States of America)
Does the trial court's instructions to the jury that the jury must conclusively accept the previous jury's finding that defendant's guilt has already been decided? (California, United States of America)
When will a court grant a defendant an instruction that cautions the jury that it may not draw an adverse inference from the fact that a defendant has not testified at trial? (California, United States of America)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.