VA · jury_instructions
Va. Model Jury Instr. Crim. No. 10.400(c)
Unlawful Paramilitary Activity—Brandishing Firearm While Assembled to Intimidate
The defendant is charged with the crime of unlawful paramilitary activity. The Commonwealth
must prove beyond a reasonable doubt each of the following elements of that crime:
(1) That the defendant [pointed, held, or brandished] a [firearm; air or gas operated weapon; any
object similar in appearance], in such a manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another
of being shot or injured; [or the defendant held a [firearm; air or gas operated weapon] in a public
place in such a manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another of being shot or injured]; and
(2) That the defendant did so while assembled with one or more persons; and
(3) That the defendant did so with the purpose of and intent to intimidate any person or group of
persons.
If you find from the evidence that the Commonwealth has proved beyond a reasonable doubt
each of the above elements of the crime as charged, then you shall find the defendant guilty [but
you shall not fix the punishment until your verdict has been returned and further evidence has
been heard by you].
If you find that the Commonwealth has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt one or more
of the elements of the crime, then you shall find the defendant not guilty.
History
Virginia Model Jury Instructions – Criminal, Release 26, October 2025. The unannotated set, posted by the Supreme Court of Virginia at vacourts.gov; the book states that it is made available with the permission of the publisher, Matthew Bender & Company, Inc.
Provenance
- Source
- vacourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-11
- Edition
- crim-2025-10-01
- Content hash
c445d378228e92a081980e2d186d1e8ea1fe5d7f0e5cf17e209f65c5873dfda5
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