Kentucky Jury Instruction — Making Threats By Mail Or Telephone is a detailed legal guideline provided to juries in Kentucky during criminal trials involving cases related to making threats through mail or telephone. This instruction outlines the specific elements and legal requirements that need to be proven in order to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Key Points Covered in Kentucky Jury Instruction — Making Threats By Mail Or Telephone: 1. Definition: The instruction begins by defining the act of making threats by mail or telephone. It explains that these threats can be communicated via traditional postal mail or any form of telecommunication, such as telephone calls or electronic messages. 2. Intent to Threaten: The instruction emphasizes that in order to secure a conviction, the prosecution must prove that the defendant possessed a specific intent to threaten using mail or telephone. Mere statements or discussions without a genuine intent to threaten would not meet this requirement. 3. Threatening Communication: The instruction discusses what constitutes a threatening communication. It may include explicit language, statements, symbols, or innuendos that induce fear, apprehension, or harm in the recipient. 4. Reasonable Belief: The instruction suggests that the prosecution must establish that the recipient of the threat had a reasonable belief that the threat was genuine and that harm or injury was imminent. If the recipient did not perceive the communication as an actual threat or had reason to doubt its authenticity or seriousness, this element may not be met. Types of Kentucky Jury Instruction — Making Threats By Mail Or Telephone: 1. Misdemeanor Threats: This instruction may be specific to cases where the alleged threats fall under misdemeanor offenses, such as harassment, stalking, or intimidation through mail or telephone communication. 2. Felony Threats: Another type of instruction may pertain to cases involving felony offenses, such as making terroristic threats, which often carry more severe penalties and encompass threats that involve violence, harm to public safety, or other dangerous intentions. 3. Juvenile Offenders: Instruction variations may exist when dealing with cases involving juvenile offenders. The specific instructions in such cases might consider age-appropriate language and reflect the unique circumstances of threats made by minors. In summary, Kentucky Jury Instruction — Making Threats By Mail Or Telephone serves as a comprehensive guide for juries to understand the legal criteria and essential factors involved in determining guilt in cases where threats have been made using mail or telephone. It aims to ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation of the evidence presented during criminal trials.