Texas Jury Instruction Aboutou— - Knowingly - Only When Willfulness or Specific Intent is Not an Element In Texas criminal trials, the jury receives instructions on the law to guide their decision-making process. One such instruction is the Texas Jury Instruction Aboutou— - Knowingly - Only When Willfulness or Specific Intent is Not an Element. This instruction provides guidance when willfulness or specific intent is not an essential element of the crime charged. The term "on or about" is used to describe the timeframe within which the alleged offense occurred. It allows for some flexibility in establishing the precise date of the offense, recognizing that evidence may not always pinpoint the exact time frame. By using "on or about," the prosecution can present evidence of the offense occurring before or after the alleged date, as long as it falls within a reasonable time frame. The term "knowingly" is another crucial element in this jury instruction. It refers to the mental state or knowledge of the defendant regarding their actions. In this context, it means that the defendant had awareness or was aware of the circumstances of their conduct. The jury will be instructed to consider whether the defendant had knowledge that their actions constituted a crime, rather than a mere mistake or accident. However, the application of this jury instruction is limited to cases where willfulness or specific intent is not an essential element of the crime charged. Willfulness refers to a deliberate or intentional act, while specific intent requires a conscious purpose or design to achieve a particular result. If the crime charged involves a willful or specific intent element, this particular jury instruction would not apply. It's important to note that while this basic Texas Jury Instruction Aboutou— - Knowingly - Only When Willfulness or Specific Intent is Not an Element is commonly used, there may be variations and alternative instructions tailored to specific crimes. For instance, there could be different instructions for offenses such as theft, assault, or drug possession, where willfulness or specific intent may be crucial elements. In summary, the Texas Jury Instruction Aboutou— - Knowingly - Only When Willfulness or Specific Intent is Not an Element provides guidance to the jury when establishing the timeframe of the alleged offense and determining the defendant's mental state. While it is a widely used instruction, its application is limited to cases where willfulness or specific intent is not an essential element of the crime charged.