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Welcome to The Forecite Blog™ -- Criminal Jury Instructions Prepared by Tom Lundy. This is a blog about criminal jury instructions from the defense perspective. The goal of the blog is to highlight recent state and federal cases which suggest issues and strategies relevant to jury instruction practice. The blog will also include selected sample instructions from recent cases.

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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Sample Instruction: Forfeiture -- Relevant Factors (Ohio)

If you find that the State has failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the $ 5,746.00 in United States currency was used or intended to be used in any manner to commit or to facilitate the commission of the Possession of Marijuana, you must find that the $ 5,746.00 in United States currency is not subject to forfeiture. When determining whether [an alleged instrumentality] [this currency] was used in or was intended to be used in the commission or facilitation of an offense consider:

(1) Whether the offense could not have been committed or attempted but for the presence of the [instrumentality] [this currency];

(2) Whether the primary purpose in using the [instrumentality] [currency] was to commit or attempt to commit the offense;

(3) The extent to which the [instrumentality] [currency] furthered the commission of, or an attempt to commit, the offense.

Source: Adapted from State v. Johnson, 2010 Ohio 1970, P47-52 (Ohio Ct. App., Trumbull County, No. 2009‑T‑0042, Apr. 30, 2010) [“The trial court should have instructed the jury[on] these [] factors with respect to the issue of forfeiture”].



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