No. 23-266

Javaar Yavonnie Kalem Watkins v. United States

Lower Court: Eighth Circuit
Docketed: 2023-09-20
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: constitutional-error conviction-reversal criminal-procedure due-process jury-instruction jury-instructions reasonable-doubt structural-error
Key Terms:
DueProcess
Latest Conference: 2023-10-27
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Was the reasonable doubt instruction constitutionally deficient thereby requiring reversal of Watkins' conviction?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED The Constitution requires the Government to persuade a jury “beyond reasonable doubt” in order to sustain a conviction. Over Watkins’ objection, the reasonable doubt instruction charged the jury to subjectively consider “life’s most important decisions” when considering whether reasonable doubt existed. Was the reasonable doubt instruction constitutionally deficient thereby requiring reversal of Watkins’ conviction?

Docket Entries

2023-10-30
Petition DENIED.
2023-10-04
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/27/2023.
2023-09-27
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2023-09-15

Attorneys

Javaar Watkins
Paul Henry MyerchinBormann, Myerchin, Espeseth and Edison, LLP, Petitioner
Paul Henry MyerchinBormann, Myerchin, Espeseth and Edison, LLP, Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent