RETURN OF VERDICT --

PRIOR CONVICTIONS ADMITTED (SINGLE STAGE)

If you find beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime of [Crime Charged], you shall return a verdict of guilty by marking the Verdict Form appropriately. If you have a reasonable doubt of the defendant's guilt to the charge of [Crime Charged], or you find that the State has failed to prove each element of [Crime Charged] beyond a reasonable doubt, you shall return a verdict of not guilty by marking the Verdict Form appropriately.

The defendant has admitted that he/she has [Specify Number] previous conviction(s). You may not consider this/these previous conviction(s) as proof of guilt in the case before you. You may consider the previous conviction(s) for the purpose of determining the punishment if you find that the defendant is guilty of the crime of [Crime Charged] in the present case.

The punishment for [Crime Charged] after [Number] previous conviction(s) is imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term of [Specify Term Provided in 21 O.S. 2011 & Supp. 2019, § 51.1(A) or 51.1a] years. When you have decided on the proper punishment, you should fill in the appropriate space on the verdict form and return the verdict to the Court.

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Statutory Authority: 21 O.S. 2011 & Supp. 2019, §§ 51.1, 51.1a.

Notes on Use

This instruction should be used if the defendant has waived bifurcation and admitted the prior convictions or the prior convictions were introduced by the prosecutor after the defendant took the stand.

A Verdict Form to go with this instruction is provided in OUJI-CR 10-18, infra.

Committee Comments

The defendant may waive bifurcation expressly so that the jury will be made aware of the severity of punishment when it makes its determination of guilt. See Jones v. State, 1974 OK CR 172, ¶ 18, 527 P.2d 169, 173 (waiver of bifurcation is within the discretion of the trial court), overruled on other grounds, Fulton v. State, 1975 OK CR 200, ¶ 4, 541 P.2d 871, 872. But cf. Lenion v. State, 1988 OK CR 230, 763 P.2d 381 (no waiver if defendant merely fails to request bifurcation). See also Eslinger v. State, 1987 OK CR 53, ¶ 19, 734 P.2d 830, 834 (defendant not entitled to bifurcated trial if he confessed to former convictions under oath); Ray v. State, 1990 OK CR 15, ¶¶ 7-8, 788 P.2d 1384, 1386 (bifurcation waived when defendant testified in own behalf); Reed v. State, 1978 OK CR 58, ¶¶ 14-17, 580 P.2d 159, 162-63 (two-stage proceeding was not necessary where defendant admitted prior conviction on cross-examination).

(2019 Supp.)