CT · jury_instructions
Conn. Crim. Jury Instr. 8.9-3
Aiding Escape of Mentally Ill or Drug Dependent Person
The defendant is charged [in count__] with aiding escape from a (hospital / sanitarium1). The
statute defining this offense reads in pertinent part as follows:
a person is guilty of aiding escape from a (hospital / sanitarium) when he aids the
escape from a (hospital / sanitarium) of any person committed thereto as (mentally ill
/ drug dependent).
For you to find the defendant guilty of this charge, the state must prove the following elements
beyond a reasonable doubt:
Element 1 - Aided escape
The first element is that the defendant aided the escape of a person from a (hospital /sanitarium).
Aiding or abetting here have their ordinary meaning, that is, to intentionally help or assist. A
person acts “intentionally” with respect to a result when (his/her) conscious objective is to cause
such result. <See Intent: Specific, Instruction 2.3-1.>
“Escape” means the unlawful departure from the physical limits of custody.
Element 2 - Of mentally ill / drug dependent person
The second element is that the person whose escape was aided had been committed by a lawful
order to such institution as (mentally ill / drug dependent). The state does not have to prove that
such person was in fact (mentally ill / drug dependent), only that the person was committed as
(mentally ill / drug dependent).
Conclusion
In summary, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that 1) the defendant aided the
escape of a person from a (hospital /sanitarium), and 2) that person had been committed to the
(hospital /sanitarium), as (mentally ill / drug dependent).
If you unanimously find that the state has proved beyond a reasonable doubt each of the elements
of aiding the escape of a (mentally ill / drug dependent) person, 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.
1 The statute uses the word “sanatorium.” “Sanitarium” is the proper American spelling of the
word. “Sanatorium” is a British variant spelling.
Provenance
- Source
- jud.ct.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-08-23
- Edition
- 2026-08-23
- Content hash
531c5eeb56103baa66fbe4add8d5bb181bafeb41fa7a5d017e040c97153517a0
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