Oklahoma Jury Instruction Impeachmenten— - Inconsistent Statement is a legal term that refers to the process of challenging a witness's credibility or truthfulness based on contradictory statements they have made on different occasions. This jury instruction is a crucial tool for attorneys during trials, as it allows them to cast doubt on the witness's reliability and undermine their testimony. In Oklahoma, there are different types of Jury Instructions related to impeachment through inconsistent statements, which include: 1. Standard Impeachment — Inconsistent Statement: This instruction enables the attorney to impeach a witness by presenting prior statements that are inconsistent with their current testimony. By highlighting the contradictions, the attorney seeks to weaken the witness's credibility and persuade the jury to question the truthfulness of their statements. 2. Substantive Impeachment — Inconsistent Statement: This instruction allows the attorney to use a witness's inconsistent statements as substantive evidence to contradict their testimony. Unlike standard impeachment, substantive impeachment permits the attorney to argue that the contradictory statement itself is a proof of the witness's untruthfulness or provides a different version of events. 3. Impeachment — Prior Inconsistent Statement: This jury instruction allows attorneys to challenge a witness's credibility by presenting their prior statement that contradicts their current testimony. The attorney must establish that the witness indeed made the prior statement and that it conflicts with their current position. This serves to cast doubt on the witness's overall credibility and raises questions about the reliability of their testimony. 4. Limiting Instruction — Inconsistent Statement: This instruction is provided by the judge to advise the jury on how to consider evidence of inconsistent statements made by a witness. The purpose of this instruction is to guide the jurors in evaluating the weight and significance of the contradictory statements and prevent them from solely relying on the inconsistencies without considering other evidence. In summary, Oklahoma Jury Instruction Impeachmenten— - Inconsistent Statement is a vital legal tool for attorneys to challenge a witness's credibility by demonstrating their contradictory statements. By utilizing various types of impeachment instructions, attorneys aim to weaken the witness's testimony, raise doubts among the jury, and ultimately strengthen their own case.