State v. Castle

When police arrested Michael Castle and searched his car, they found a black zippered bag containing several items of drug paraphernalia with cocaine residue. Mr. Castle was convicted of possession of cocaine. The central question we confront in this appeal is whether the court’s non-standard instruction on reasonable doubt was constitutionally valid. We hold the instruction properly advised the jury as to the presumption of innocence, the State’s burden of proof, and the concept of reasonable doubt. The instruction therefore did not infringe on Mr. Castle’s due process rights, and we affirm.

F…