VA · jury_instructions
Va. Model Jury Instr. Crim. No. 24.600
Threats on School Grounds, on School Buses, or at School-Sponsored Events
The defendant is charged with the crime of threatening [to kill; to discharge a firearm within or]
[on school grounds; at a school-sponsored event; on a school bus]. The Commonwealth must prove
beyond a reasonable doubt each of the following elements of that crime:
(1) That the defendant communicated [orally; in writing; by an electronically transmitted
communication producing a visual or electronic message] to (name recipient(s)); and
(2) That the [oral communication; written communication; electronically transmitted communication
producing a visual or electronic message] contained a threat to [kill; discharge a firearm]; and
(3) That the threatened action was to take place [on the grounds or premises of [an elementary; a
middle; a secondary] school; on a school bus; at [an elementary; a middle; a secondary] school event];
and
(4) That the threat to [kill; discharge a firearm] would place the person who [is the object of the
threat, regardless of whether that person actually received the threat; is included in the threat] in
reasonable fear of death or bodily harm.
If you find that the Commonwealth has proven 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 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
daa71169a228d062b823acde799fdf7bda775f331a120b98dfbca964c2047913
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