CT · jury_instructions
Conn. Crim. Jury Instr. 2.11-3
Conclusion: Guilty / Not Guilty
Note: This is a model conclusion for offense instructions, which is incorporated into all the
instructions. It has alternative endings for when a general or affirmative defense has been
raised.
Conclusion
In summary, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that <summarize elements of
offense.>
<Select one of the three alternative endings:>
If defendant has not raised a defense
If you unanimously find that the state has proved beyond a reasonable doubt each of the elements
of the crime of <insert name of offense>, then you shall find the defendant guilty. On the other
hand, if you unanimously find that the state has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any of
the elements, you shall then find the defendant not guilty.
If defendant has raised an affirmative defense
If you unanimously find that the state has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the
elements of the crime of <insert name of offense>, you shall then find the defendant not guilty
and not consider (his/her) affirmative defense.
If you unanimously find that the state has proved beyond a reasonable doubt each of the
elements, then you shall consider the defendant’s affirmative defense. If you unanimously find
that the defendant has proved (his/her) defense by a preponderance of the evidence, then you
shall find the defendant not guilty. If, on the other hand, you unanimously find that the
defendant has not proved (his/her) affirmative defense by a preponderance of the evidence, then
you shall find the defendant guilty.
If defendant has raised a general defense
If you unanimously find that the state has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the
elements of the crime of <insert name of offense>, you shall then find the defendant not guilty
and not consider (his/her) defense.
If you unanimously find that the state has proved beyond a reasonable doubt each of the
elements, then you shall consider the defense of <identify defense>. If you unanimously find that
the state has disproved beyond a reasonable doubt at least one of the elements of the defense, you
must reject that defense and find the defendant guilty. If, on the other hand, you unanimously
find that the state has not disproved beyond a reasonable doubt at least one of the elements of the
defense, then on the strength of that defense alone you must find the defendant not guilty of
<insert name of offense> despite the fact that you have found the elements of that crime proven
beyond a reasonable doubt.
Provenance
- Source
- jud.ct.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-08-23
- Edition
- 2026-08-23
- Content hash
6a751d6734219cfe0792873a649c7989f24c7011e4effd8f6dba43a7c5ca36b9
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