State v. Washington
State v. Washington
Opinion of the Court
Randall Washington was jointly tried with Bryan Ferguson and both appealed from their conviction of first degree reckless endangerment. Ferguson's appeal was heard first and the conviction affirmed sub nomine State v. Washington.
A person who unlawfully discharges a firearm from a moving vehicle may be inferred to have engaged in reckless conduct, unless the discharge is shown by evidence satisfactory to the trier of fact to have been made without such recklessness. This inference is not binding upon you and it is for you to determine what weight, if any, such inference is to be given.
No Washington Pattern Jury Instruction (WPIC) for reckless endangerment has yet been drafted but the WPIC instruction dealing with the inference of intent in the burglary statute furnishes guidance. WPIC 60.05 reads as follows:
A person who enters or remains unlawfully in a building may be inferred to have acted with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein [unless such entering or remaining shall be explained by evidence satisfactory to the jury to have been made without such criminal intent]. This inference is not binding upon you and it is for you to determine what weight, if any, such inference is to be given.
This instruction has been specifically approved by our Supreme Court.
Here the defendants testified that the discharge of the weapon was accidental which, if believed, constitutes evidence "satisfactory to the trier of fact" that the discharge was not reckless. Indeed, in final argument the prosecutor expressly acknowledged that to be correct.
Washington's reliance on State v. Savage
In summary, the instruction tells the jury (1) that the inference may be rebutted by evidence satisfactoiy to the trier of the fact and, (2) that with or without such evidence, the jury is free to disregard the inference. The instructions taken as a whole clearly set forth the presumption of Washington's innocence and the State's duty to prove each element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
Affirmed.
Grosse, C.J., and Pekelis, J., concur.
64 Wn. App. 118, 822 P.2d 1245, review denied, 119 Wn.2d 1003 (1992). Ferguson was the only appellant and Washington was not a party, but the case uses the title given in the superior court.
See State v. Handran, 113 Wn.2d 11, 19, 775 P.2d 453 (1989); State v. Bergeron, 105 Wn.2d 1, 19, 711 P.2d 1000 (1985).
The prosecutor stated, "If it was an accident, then nobody was acting recklessly."
State v. Johnson, 100 Wn.2d 607, 619, 674 P.2d 145 (1983). The court held that when the defendant does not present evidence in his or her own case the clause may improperly create a production-shifting presumption.
Johnson, at 619-20.
Washington, at 126.
94 Wn.2d 569, 618 P.2d 82 (1980).
113 Wn.2d 11, 19, 775 P.2d 453 (1989).
See Seattle v. Smiley, 41 Wn. App. 189, 194, 702 P.2d 1206, review denied, 104 Wn.2d 1017 (1985). Instructions 2 and 9 are particularly pertinent in this case.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.