Ortiz v. State, 96-162

Citation682 So.2d 217
Decision Date01 November 1996
Docket NumberNo. 96-162,96-162
Parties21 Fla. L. Weekly D2353 Oscar ORTIZ, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
CourtCourt of Appeal of Florida (US)

James B. Gibson, Public Defender, and Noel A. Pelella, Assistant Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for Appellant.

Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Robin Compton Jones, Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach, for Appellee.

COBB, Judge.

The defendant was charged with attempted robbery with a firearm and attempted first degree murder with a firearm. He was convicted as charged on the attempted robbery count and was convicted on the attempted murder charge of the lesser offense of attempted second degree murder with a firearm. We affirm the attempted robbery conviction, but reverse the attempted second degree murder conviction.

The jury was not instructed on justifiable homicide. After the charge conference, defense counsel stated to the court: "Judge, we have looked over [the charges], and we don't have any objection to any of the instructions." The state contends that this language constitutes an express waiver of the justifiable homicide charges in accordance with the opinion in Armstrong v. State, 579 So.2d 734 (Fla.1991). As we read Armstrong and Blandon v. State, 657 So.2d 1198 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995), there was no express waiver.

As we held in Blandon, the mere failure to object to the omission of a justifiable homicide charge in an attempted murder case does not constitute the affirmative waiver discussed in Armstrong. It was the trial court's responsibility to see that the jury was properly instructed and that the definition of justifiable homicide was read.

The judgment and sentence for attempted second degree murder are reversed, and this cause remanded for a new trial on that charge.

AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND REMANDED FOR NEW TRIAL.

W. SHARP and GOSHORN, JJ., concur.

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8 cases
  • State v. Spencer
    • United States
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • April 27, 2017
    ...the omission of the instructions, but only acquiesced in the instructions as given, the exception does not apply."); Ortiz v. State , 682 So.2d 217, 217 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996) ("As we held in Blandon [ v. State , 657 So.2d 1198 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995) ], the mere failure to object to the omission ......
  • Burns v. State
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • June 22, 2015
    ...“record does not show that defense counsel was aware of the incomplete instruction and affirmatively agreed to it”); Ortiz v. State, 682 So.2d 217, 218 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996) (rejecting argument that the defense waived the failure to instruct on justifiable homicide by stating to the court: “ ......
  • Mohammed v. State
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • December 11, 2020
    ...counsel did not represent him during trial. 2 See Hall v. State , 677 So. 2d 1353, 1354 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996) ; Ortiz v. State , 682 So. 2d 217, 218 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996) ; McNeal v. State , 662 So. 2d 373, 373–74 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995) ; Beckham v. State , 884 So. 2d 969, 973–74 (Fla. 1st DCA 200......
  • Beckham v. State, 1D03-0410.
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 4, 2004
    ...One. See, e.g., Black v. State, 695 So.2d 459 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997); Roberts v. State, 694 So.2d 825 (Fla. 2d DCA 1997); Ortiz v. State, 682 So.2d 217 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996). We have de novo review of the question of law whether the trial court fundamentally erred by failing to give a complete a......
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