Jones v. State, 707 So. 2d 773

FRANK, Acting Chief Judge.

Larry D. Jones appeals from his judgment and sentence for ‍​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍resisting arrest without violence. We reverse because the trial court improperly instructed the jury on that offense.

The trial court erred in instructing the jury that “arresting ‍​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍the Defendant for possession of cocaine and/or drug paraphernalia constitutes lawful execution of a legal duty.” By stating that Jones’s arrest constituted the lawful execution of ‍​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍a legal duty, the trial court, in effect, took the issue of the lawfulness of his arrest from the jury and directed a verdict for the ‍​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍State. See Kyle v. State, 650 So.2d 127 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995), review denied, 659 So.2d 1089 (Fla.1995); Royster v. State, 643 So.2d 61 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994); Hierro v. State, 608 So.2d 912 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992). ‍​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍Accordingly, we reverse.

Reversed and remanded for a new trial.

PATTERSON and ALTENBERND, JJ., concur.

Case Details

Case Name: Jones v. State

Court Name: District Court of Appeal of Florida

Date Published: Jan 9, 1998

Citations: 707 So. 2d 773; 1998 Fla. App. LEXIS 73; 1998 WL 97311; No. 96-01990

Docket Number: No. 96-01990

Court Abbreviation: Fla. Dist. Ct. App.