| Organization: | Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Massachusetts Court System |
|---|---|
| Date published: | April 25, 2018 |
Introduction
In April of 2018, the Supreme Judicial Court announced the release of revised Model Jury Instructions on Homicide. The Justices first approved and recommended the use of Model Jury Instructions on Homicide in 1999 and issued revised Model Jury Instructions in 2013. The 2018 revised Model Jury Instructions on Homicide reflect new developments in the law since 2013.
The Model Jury Instructions are not intended to be a comprehensive statement of the law, but rather provide guidance to judges on those instructions that are frequently given in trials of homicide cases, except vehicular homicide cases.
See also:
- Suggested modifications to jury instructions regarding criminal responsibility and drug use in Commonwealth v. Dunphe, 485 Mass. 871 (2020)
- New jury instruction for extreme atrocity or cruelty in Commonwealth v. Castillo, 485 Mass. 852, Appendix (2020)
Table of Contents
- Introductory information for Model Jury Instructions on Homicide
- Statement of the justices on the Model Jury Instructions on Homicide
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide list of principal revisions
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: I. Criminal responsibility
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: II. Joint venture
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: III. Self-defense and defense of another
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: IV. Murder in the first degree
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: V. Murder in the second degree
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: VI. Voluntary manslaughter (lesser included offense to murder)
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: VII. Involuntary manslaughter
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: VIII. Supplemental instructions
- Model Jury Instructions on Homicide: IX. Appendix
Downloads
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Open PDF file, 625.9 KB, Model Jury Instructions on Homicide - Revised April 2018 (PDF) (English, PDF 625.9 KB)
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Open DOCX file, 117.96 KB, Model Jury Instructions on Homicide - Revised April 2018 (Word .docx) (English, DOCX 117.96 KB)