Del. P.J.I. Crim. No. 4.11

ACCOMPLICE TESTIMONY

An accomplice is someone who says that they participated with the

defendant in the alleged crime. An alleged accomplice has testified in this trial.

For obvious reasons, the testimony of an accomplice should be examined by you

with suspicion and with more care and caution than the testimony of a witness

who did not participate in the crime.

This rule about accomplice testimony becomes particularly important if

there is nothing in the evidence - either direct or circumstantial - that corroborates

the accomplice’s testimony. Without any corroboration, you should not find the

defendant guilty unless, after careful examination of the accomplice testimony,

you are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the accomplice testimony is true

and you may safely rely upon it.

The fact that the alleged accomplice has entered a guilty plea to various

offenses in this case, or has an agreement with State, is not evidence of guilt of any

other person, including the defendant. In determining the weight to be given to the

accomplice testimony, you may consider any agreement the accomplice had with

the State. You also may consider the accomplice’s own interest in the outcome of

this case.