Government of the Virgin Islands v. Louis Smith

In my view, the district court did not commit "plain error" by failing to give a specific instruction stating that the prosecution was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the homicide charged in this case was not committed in self-defense. As the majority notes, the district court told the jury that the prosecution was required to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt (J.A. at 121) and that "the defendant never has a burden of proving anything." (J.A. at 122.) The court also gave a correct instruction on the elements of self-defense. (J.A. at 134-37.) Because the defendant's…