Los Angeles California Jury Instruction Confessionio— - Statement - Multiple Defendants is a legal instruction given to the jury in a criminal trial when multiple defendants have made confessions or statements that may implicate each other. This instruction is crucial in determining the admissibility and weight of these statements during the trial. In cases involving multiple defendants, it is essential for the jury to carefully evaluate each defendant's confession or statement individually and consider them separately. This instruction helps ensure a fair trial by instructing the jury to evaluate the confession or statement of one defendant against the other defendants based on their own merits and circumstances. Key attributes of this instruction include: 1. Multiple Defendants: This instruction specifically applies when there are more than one defendant in a criminal case, and each defendant has made a confession or statement that may implicate others. 2. Confession: The instruction focuses on confessions or statements provided by the defendants, which can be verbal or in written form. Confessions are self-incriminating admissions of guilt by one or more defendants. 3. Admissibility: This instruction helps the jury decide whether a confession or statement made by one defendant is admissible as evidence against another defendant. The jury must assess the circumstances, reliability, and voluntaries of each confession or statement individually. 4. Individual Evaluation: The instruction emphasizes the importance of evaluating each defendant's confession or statement independently. The jury should consider the evidence against each defendant separately before determining guilt or innocence. 5. Weight of Evidence: The instruction guides the jury in assigning appropriate weight to each confession or statement to avoid unfairly prejudicing any defendant. It reminds the jurors to consider the credibility and reliability of the evidence while considering the context in which the statements were made. It is worth noting that variations of this instruction may exist depending on the specific circumstances of each case. Some additional types of Los Angeles California Jury Instruction Confessionio— - Statement - Multiple Defendants include: 1. Exculpatory Statements: This instruction may be given to discuss statements made by one defendant that may exculpate or clear another defendant's involvement in the crime. 2. Redacted Confessions: In cases where portions of one defendant's confession incriminate another defendant, a redacted version of the confession may be presented. In such cases, a specific instruction may be given to address the redacted nature of the confession. 3. Inconsistent Statements: This instruction may be relevant when a defendant has provided multiple statements that contradict each other or implicate different individuals. The jury is advised to consider the consistency or inconsistency of the statements while evaluating their probative value. In conclusion, Los Angeles California Jury Instruction Confessionio— - Statement - Multiple Defendants is a vital legal instruction that ensures a fair evaluation of confessions or statements provided by multiple defendants in a criminal trial. By following this instruction, the jury can impartially weigh the evidence against each defendant, separately considering their individual confessions or statements.