Wash. Rev. Code § 10.56.050

Current through the 2024 Regular Session

Section 10.56.050 - Jury instruction for informant testimony

(1) If the testimony of an informant is admitted in a criminal proceeding, the prosecuting attorney or defendant may request a jury instruction on exercising caution in evaluating the credibility of an informant. Except when otherwise determined by the court, the instruction should be substantially similar to the following form:

"The testimony of an informant, given on behalf of the [State] [City] [County] in exchange for a legal advantage or other benefit, should be subjected to careful examination in the light of other evidence in the case, and should be acted upon with great caution. You, the jury, must weigh the credibility of his or her testimony. You should not find the defendant guilty upon such testimony alone unless, after carefully considering the testimony, you are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of its truth."

(2) For the purposes of this section, "informant" has the same meaning as in RCW 10.56.040.

RCW 10.56.050

Added by 2019 c 359,§ 5, eff. 7/28/2019.