____________
No. SC15-1170
____________
IN RE: STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—
REPORT NO. 2015-03.
[April 7, 2016]
CORRECTED OPINION
PER CURIAM.
The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal
Cases has submitted proposed changes to the standard jury instructions and asks that the Court authorize the amended standard instructions. We have jurisdiction.
See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.
The Committee proposes amending the following existing standard criminal jury instructions: 25.2 (Sale, Purchase, Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession with
Intent to Sell, Purchase, Manufacture, or Deliver a Controlled Substance); 25.3
(Sale, Purchase, Delivery, or Possession in Excess of Ten Grams of a Controlled
Substance); 25.4 (Delivery of a Controlled Substance to or Use of Minor); 25.5
(Bringing a Controlled Substance into the State); 25.6 (Sell, Manufacture, Deliver, or Possession with Intent to Sell, Manufacture or Deliver a Controlled Substance in Specified Locations); 25.7 (Possession of a Controlled Substance); 25.8 (Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud, Etc.); 25.9 (Trafficking in Cannabis); 25.10
(Trafficking in Cocaine); 25.11 (Trafficking in [Morphine] [Opium]
[Hydromorphone] [Heroin] [(Specified Substance Alleged)]); 25.12 (Trafficking in Phencyclidine); 25.13 (Trafficking in Methaqualone); 25.14 (Use or Possession with Intent to Use Drug Paraphernalia); 25.15 (Delivery, Possession with Intent to
Deliver, or Manufacture with Intent to Deliver Drug Paraphernalia); 25.16
(Delivery of Drug Paraphernalia to a Minor); 25.17 (Contraband in County
Detention Facility); 25.18 (Contraband in Juvenile [Detention Facility]
[Commitment Program]); 25.20 (Possession of Contraband [In] [Upon the Grounds
of] a State Correctional Institution); and 25.21 ([Introduction] [Removal] of Contraband [Into] [From] a State Correctional Institution). The Committee also
proposes the following new jury instructions: 25.11(a) (Trafficking in Hydrocodone); 25.11(b) (Trafficking in Oxycodone); 25.13(a) (Trafficking in [Amphetamine] [Methamphetamine]); 25.13(b) (Trafficking in Flunitrazepam);
25.13(c) (Trafficking in [GHB] [GBL] [1,4-Butanediol]); 25.13(d) (Trafficking in Phenethylamines (Includes MDMA)); and 25.13(e) (Trafficking in LSD). The Committee published its proposals in The Florida Bar News. One comment was received by the Committee. The Court did not publish the proposals after they were filed.
[*2]Having considered the Committee’s report and the comment submitted to
the Committee, we amend the standard jury instructions as proposed by the Committee, with one exception, and authorize them for publication and use. While the Committee expressed the belief that the existing explanation of constructive
possession in the majority of instructions they sought to amend was deficient, the Court is unaware of any case law that has held the current explanation of constructive possession deficient or that has redefined constructive possession from that in the existing drug trafficking jury instructions. For that reason, we decline to alter the explanation of constructive possession in the jury instructions herein under consideration.
The new and amended criminal jury instructions, as set forth in the appendix to this opinion, are hereby authorized for publication and use.[1] New language is indicated by underlining, and deleted language is indicated by struck-through type.
In authorizing the publication and use of these instructions, we express no opinion
1. The amendments as reflected in the appendix are to the Criminal Jury Instructions as they appear on the Court’s website at www.floridasupremecourt.org /jury_instructions/instructions.shtml. We recognize that there may be minor discrepancies between the instructions as they appear on the website and the published versions of the instructions. Any discrepancies as to instructions authorized for publication and use after October 25, 2007, should be resolved by reference to the published opinion of this Court authorizing the instruction.
[*3]on their correctness and remind all interested parties that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional or alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of the instructions. We further caution all interested parties
that any comments associated with the instructions reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are not necessarily indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability. The instructions as set forth in the appendix shall be effective when this opinion becomes final.
It is so ordered.
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and PERRY, JJ., concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND IF FILED, DETERMINED.
Original Proceeding – Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases
Judge Frederic Rand Wallis, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, Daytona Beach, Florida; Judge Jerri Lynn Collins, Past Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, Sanford, Florida; and Barton Neil Schneider, Staff Liaison, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Tallahassee, Florida, for Petitioner 25.2 SALE, PURCHASE, MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY, OR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SELL, PURCHASE, MANUFACTURE, OR DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE § 893.13(1)(a) and (2)(a), Fla. Stat. Certain drugs and chemical substances are by law known as “controlled substances.” (Specific substance alleged) is a controlled substance. To prove the crime of (crime charged), the State must prove the following(applicable number) three elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 1. (Defendant) [sold] [manufactured] [delivered] [purchased] [possessed with intent to [sell] [manufacture] [deliver] [purchase]] a certain substance.
[*4][*5]Manufacturing can be by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis. It can also be by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis. propagation, compounding, cultivating, growing, conversion, or processing of a controlled substance, either directly or indirectly, by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis, and includes any packaging of the substance or labeling or relabeling of its container.
Give if applicable. The term “manufacture” does not include the preparation, compounding, packaging, or labeling of a controlled substance by:
1. A practitioner or pharmacist as an incident to his or her administering or delivering of a controlled substance in the course of his or her professional practice.
2. A practitioner, or by his or her authorized agent under the practitioner’s supervision, for the purpose of, or as an incident to, research, teaching, or chemical analysis, and not for sale.
Deliver. § 893.02(56), Fla. Stat. “Deliver” or “delivery” means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer from one person to another of a controlled substance, whether or not there is an agency relationship. Possession. There are two ways to exercise control types of possession: actual possession and constructive possession.
Actual possession. Actual possession means the person is aware of the presence of the substance and: a. The substance is in the hand of or on the person, or b. The substance is in a container in the hand of or on the person, or c. The substance is so close as to be within ready reach and is under the control of the person.
[*6]Constructive possession. Constructive possession means the person is aware of the presence of the substance, the substance is in a place over which the person has control, and the person has the ability to control the substance.
Give if applicable. Mere proximity to a substance is not sufficient to establish the power and intention to control over that substance when the substance is in a place that the person does not control. Give if applicable. In order to establish (defendant’s) constructive possession of a substance that was in a place [he] [she] did not control, the State must prove (defendant) (1) knew that the substance was within [his] [her] presence and (2) exercised control or ownership over the substance itself. Joint possession. Possession of a substance may be sole or joint, that is, two or more persons may be aware of the presence of the substance and may jointly exercise control over it. In that case, each of those persons is considered to be in possession of the substance. Give if applicable. § 893.02(19), Fla. Stat. “Possession” includes temporary possession for the purpose of verification or testing, irrespective of dominion or control.
Inferences. Give if applicable. See McMillon v. State, 813 So. 2d 56 (Fla. 2002). You are permitted to infer that a person who sells a controlled substance knows of its illicit nature. Exclusive control. Henderson v. State, 88 So. 3d 1060 (Fla. 1stst DCA 2012); Meme v. State, 72 So. 3d 254 (Fla. 4thth DCA 2011). If you find that (defendant): a. had direct physical custody of the substance, [or] b. was within ready reach of the substance and the substance was under [his] [her] control, [or] c. had exclusive control of the place where the substance was located, you may infer that [he] [she] was aware of the presence of the substance and had the ability power and intention to control it. If (defendant) did not have exclusive control over the place where a substance was located, you may not infer [he] [[she] had knowledge of the presence of the substance or the ability power and intention to control it, in the absence of other incriminating evidence. Give if applicable. See Duncan v. State, 986 So. 2d 653 (Fla. 4thth DCA 2008). However, you may infer that (defendant) knew of the presence of the substance and had the ability power and intention to control it if [he] [she] had joint control over the place where the substance was located, and the substance was located in a common area in plain view and in the presence of the defendant. Affirmative defense: Lack of knowledge of illicit nature. Give if applicable there is evidence that the defendant 1) did not know of the presence of the substance or 2) knew of the presence of the substance, but did not know of its illicit nature. § 893.101(2) and (3), Fla. Stat. Lack of knowledge of the illicit nature of a controlled substance is a defense to (crime charged). (Defendant) has raised this defense. You are permitted topresume infer that (defendant) was aware of the illicit nature of the controlled substance if you find that [he] [she] knew of the presence of the controlled substance and exercised control or ownership over the substance. Give if applicable. See McMillon v. State, 813 So. 2d 56 (Fla. 2002). You are permitted to infer that a person who sells a controlled substance knows of its illicit nature. If you are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that (defendant) knew of the illicit nature of the controlled substance, and all of the elements of the charge have been proved, you should find [him] [her] guilty of (crime charged). If you have a reasonable doubt on the question of whether (defendant) knew of the illicit nature of the controlled substance, you should find [him] [her] not guilty of (crime charged).
[*7][*8]Lesser Included Offenses
SALE, PURCHASE, MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY OR POSSESSION WITH INTENT— 893.13(1)(a) and (2)(a) CATEGORY CATEGORY TWO FLA. STAT. INS. ONE NO. Possession of 893.13(6) 25.7 a Controlled Substance, if Possession With Intent is charged Delivery of 20 893.13(3) 25.2 Grams or Less of Cannabis if Delivery of More than 20 Grams of Cannabis is charged Attempt, except when delivery is charged 777.04(1) 5.1
Comments If the State alleges the defendant possessed cannabis, in an amount more than 20 grams, with intent to sell, purchase, deliver, or manufacture the cannabis, there will be both a felony necessary lesser-included offense of simple possession and a misdemeanor lesser-included offense of simple possession. See 893.13(6)(b), Fla. Stat. If the State alleges the defendant possessed a controlled substance listed in § 893.03(1)(c)46.–50., 114.–142., 151.–159, or 166.–16973., in an amount more than 3 grams, there will be both a felony necessary lesser-included offense of simple possession and a misdemeanor necessary lesser-included offense of simple possession. See § 893.13(6)(b)., Fla. Stat.
[*9]There is no crime of Attempted Delivery because the definition of “delivery” in § 893.03(6), Fla. Stat. includes the attempt to transfer from one person to another. In 2014, the legislature passed laws pertaining to medical marijuana, also known as “low-THC cannabis,” which is excluded from the definition of “cannabis” in § 893.02(3), Fla. Stat.; is defined in § 381.986(1)(b), Fla. Stat.; and must be manufactured, possessed, sold, purchased, delivered, distributed, or dispensed in conformance with § 381.986, Fla. Stat. A special instruction will be necessary in cases where a defendant relies on a cannabis-related prescription defense. This instruction was adopted in 1981 and amended in 1989 [543 So. 2d 1205], 1997 [697 So. 2d 84], 2007 [969 So. 2d 245], and 2014 [153 So. 3d 192], and 2016.
25.3 SALE, PURCHASE, DELIVERY, OR POSSESSION IN EXCESS OF TEN GRAMS OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE § 893.13(1)(b), (2)(b), and (6)(c), Fla. Stat. This instruction will have to be altered if a combination of substances is alleged. Certain drugs and chemical substances are by law known as “controlled substances.” (Specific substance alleged) is a controlled substance. To prove the crime of (crime charged), the State must prove the following(applicable number) three elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 1. (Defendant) [sold] [purchased] [delivered] [possessed] a certain substance that weighed more than 10 grams.