VA · jury_instructions
Va. Model Jury Instr. Crim. No. 52.530
Accident
Where the defense is that the [homicide; malicious wounding; unlawful wounding; (name other
intentional act to which the defense applies)] was an accident, the defendant is not required to prove
this fact. The burden is on the Commonwealth to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the
[homicide; malicious wounding; unlawful wounding; (name other intentional act to which the defense
applies)] was not accidental. If, after considering all the evidence, you have a reasonable doubt
whether the [homicide; malicious wounding; unlawful wounding; (name other intentional act to which
the defense applies)] was accidental or intentional, 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
1d02892f5e3fc6670a8f4c8cbd5d5869fa842e3cb224478ca89de4428a1cab49
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