VA · jury_instructions
Va. Model Jury Instr. Crim. No. 18.910
Pointing or Brandishing a Machete or Other Bladed Weapon
The defendant is charged with the crime of [pointing; holding; brandishing] [a machete; a weapon
with an exposed blade 12 inches in length or longer] with the intent of intimidating [a person; a group
of persons]. The Commonwealth must prove beyond a reasonable doubt each of the following
elements of that crime:
(1) That the defendant [pointed; held; brandished] [a machete with an exposed blade 12 inches in
length or longer; a weapon with an exposed blade 12 inches in length or longer]; and
(2) That the defendant did so with the intent of intimidating [a person; a group of persons]; and
(3) That the defendant did so in a manner that reasonably demonstrates that intent.
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 any or all 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
2db34dc3290200d0837acda5768f05b14bf5561ef2e8f4ea973391e73e249a91
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