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No. SC18-488
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IN RE: STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—
REPORT 2018-01.
September 27, 2018
CORRECTED OPINION
PER CURIAM.
The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (Committee) 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 standard criminal jury instructions 10.13 (Shooting or Throwing Missiles in Dwelling), 10.14 (Possession of Forbidden Firearms), 10.15 (Felons Carrying a Concealed Weapon or Possessing Firearm/Ammunition/Electric Weapon or Device), and 10.15(a) (Possession of [a Firearm] [an Electric Weapon or Device] [Ammunition] or [Carrying a Concealed Weapon] by a Person Under the Age of 24 Who Has Been Found Delinquent of an Offense Which Would Be a Felony if Committed by an Adult). Following publication in The Florida Bar News, the Committee received one comment pertaining to the proposal to amend instruction 10.13, from the Florida Public Defender Association. The Committee agreed with the comment and made responsive changes to its proposal. We authorize the instructions as proposed by the Committee, and discuss the more significant amendments to the instructions below.1
With regard to instruction 10.13, we modify the title to replace “Missiles in Dwelling” with “A [Missile] [Stone] [Hard Substance] [At] [Within] [Into] [In] A[n] [Building] [Vehicle] [Vessel] [Aircraft].” The word “dwelling” is removed because it is not referenced in the elements of the offense as defined in section 790.19, Florida Statutes (2018). Turning to element one, the instruction is amended to remove the reference to “shot a firearm,” as the statute does not include that phrase. Element two is amended to add “that was being used or occupied by any person” to the alternative “a public or private bus.” In addition, the alternative “a vehicle of any kind that was being used or occupied by any person” is added to element two.
Turning to instruction 10.14, the title is amended to replace “Forbidden Firearms” with “A [Short-Barreled Rifle] [Short-Barreled Shotgun] [Machine Gun].” An italicized paragraph to the trial court is added pertaining to the burden
1. Minor, technical changes to the instructions are not elaborated upon.
[*2]of persuasion with regard to the “antique firearm affirmative defense,” as well as an amended instruction on the defense and new instructions on the burden. The definition for “possession” is amended, based upon the definition recently authorized by the Court in other instructions including “possession.” See In re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report 2017-03, 238 So. 3d 182, 183-184 (Fla. 2018). Finally, the statutory definitions for “machine gun,” “short- barreled shotgun,” and “short-barreled rifle” are added.
Lastly, in instructions 10.15 and 10.15(a), the definition for “possession” is amended based upon In re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report 2017-03, 238 So. 3d at 183-84. Also, two different definitions for “knowingly” are added as optional definitions.
Having considered the Committee’s report, we authorize the amended instructions, as set forth in the appendix to this opinion, for publication and use.[2] New language is indicated by underlining, and deleted language is indicated by struck-through type. We caution all interested parties that any comments associated with the instructions reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are
2. 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]not necessarily indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability. In authorizing the publication and use of these instructions, we express no opinion 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. The instructions as set forth in the appendix shall become effective when this opinion becomes final.
It is so ordered. CANADY, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, POLSTON, LABARGA, and LAWSON, 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 F. Rand Wallis, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, Daytona Beach, Florida; and Bart Schneider, Staff Liaison, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Tallahassee, Florida, for Petitioner
[*4]APPENDIX
10.13 SHOOTING OR THROWING MISSILES IN DWELLING A [MISSILE] [STONE] [HARD SUBSTANCE] [AT] [WITHIN] [INTO] [IN] A[N] [BUILDING] [VEHICLE] [VESSEL] [AIRCRAFT] § 790.19, Fla._Stat.
To prove the crime of (crime charged), the State must prove the following three elements beyond a reasonable doubt:
Give 1a and/or 1b as applicable. 1. (Defendant) a. [shot] [or] [threw] a missile that would produce death or great bodily harm. b. hurled or projected a stone or other hard substance that would produce death or great bodily harm.
[shot a firearm]. [threw a missile]. [hurled or projected a stone or other hard substance that would produce death or great bodily harm].
Give 2a–2f as applicable.
[*5]e. [a boat, vessel, ship, or barge lying in or plying the waters of this state]. f. [an aircraft flying through the air space of this state].
[*6]Comment
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and amended in 2018.
[*7]ignition system) or replica thereof, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1918, and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1918, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.
If burden of persuasion is on the defendant: If you find that defendant proved (insert appropriate burden of persuasion) that the [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] is an antique firearm, you should find [him] [her] not guilty.
If burden of persuasion is on the State: If you find that the State proved (insert appropriate burden of persuasion) that the [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] is not an antique firearm, you should find [him] [her] guilty, if all the elements of the charge have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Definitions. Give as applicable. “Care” and “custody” mean immediate charge and control exercised by a person over the named object. The terms care, custody, and control may be used interchangeably.
Possession. To prove (defendant) “possessed” a [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun], the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that [he] [she] a) knew of the existence of the [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] and b) intentionally exercised control over it. Give if applicable. Control can be exercised over a [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] whether it is carried on a person, near a person, or in a completely separate location. Mere proximity to a [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] does not establish that the person intentionally exercised control over it in the absence of additional evidence. Control can be established by proof that (defendant) had direct personal power to control the [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] or the present ability to direct its control by another.
[*8]Joint possession. Possession of a [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [machine gun] may be sole or joint, that is, two or more persons may possess it.
A ["short-barreled rifle"] ["short-barreled shotgun"] ["machine gun"] is legally defined as (adapt from § 790.001(9), (10), or (11), Fla.Stat., as required by the allegations).
An "antique firearm" is legally defined as (adapt from § 790.001(1), Fla.Stat., as required by the allegations).
To "possess" means to have personal charge of or exercise the right of ownership, management, or control over the thing possessed.
Possession may be actual or constructive. If a thing is in the hand of or on the person, or in a bag or container in the hand of or on the person, or is so close as to be within ready reach and is under the control of the person, it is in the actual possession of that person.
If a thing is in a place over which the person has control or in which the person has hidden or concealed it, it is in the constructive possession of that person.
Possession may be joint, that is, two or more persons may jointly have possession of an article, exercising control over it. In that case, each of those persons is considered to be in possession of that article.
If a person has exclusive possession of a thing, knowledge of its presence may be inferred or assumed.
If a person does not have exclusive possession of a thing, knowledge of its presence may not be inferred or assumed.
§ 790.001(9), Fla. Stat.; § 790.001(6), Fla. Stat. A “machine gun” means any firearm which shoots, or is designed to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manually reloading, by a single function of the trigger. A “firearm” means any weapon which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or firearm silencer.
[*9]§ 790.001(10), Fla. Stat. A “short-barreled shotgun” means a shotgun having one or more barrels less than 18 inches in length and any weapon made from a shotgun (whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise) if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches.
§ 790.001(11), Fla. Stat. A “short-barreled rifle” means a rifle having one or more barrels less than 16 inches in length and any weapon made from a rifle (whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise) if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches.
Lesser Included Offenses POSSESSION OF FORBIDDEN FIREARMS A [SHORT-BARRELED RIFLE] [SHORT-BARRELED SHOTGUN] [MACHINE GUN] — 790.221 CATEGORY ONE CATEGORY TWO FLA. STAT. INS. NO. None Attempt 777.04(1) 5.1
Comments
Pursuant to § 790.221(3), Fla. Stat., firearms which are lawfully owned and possessed under provisions of federal law are excepted from the statute. A special instruction will be required in cases where the defendant claims federal law allows the ownership and possession of those firearms.
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and was amended in 1989_[540 So. 2d 1205] and 2018.