Campbell v. Commonwealth

Opinion

MOON, J.

Joseph H. Campbell, appellant, seeks reversal of his conviction of forging a public record in violation of Code § 18.2-168. He alleges that the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury that the crime had to be “to the prejudice of another” or to the gain of the defendant, and incorrectly defined “intent to defraud” in a jury instruction. We hold that “to the prejudice of another” is not an element of the offense of forging a public document. Because appellant did not object in the trial court for the same reasons as he does on appeal to the instruction regarding the…