Legal Definitions - Jewell instruction

A Jewell instruction is a specific directive given by a judge to a jury in a criminal trial. This instruction addresses situations where a defendant claims ignorance of certain facts surrounding a crime but is suspected of having deliberately avoided learning those facts.

Essentially, a Jewell instruction allows a jury to find that a defendant possessed the necessary criminal knowledge or intent, even if they deny direct knowledge, if the jury believes the defendant consciously chose to remain ignorant. This applies when the circumstances were such that a reasonable person would have been highly suspicious of illegal activity, and the defendant intentionally avoided confirming those suspicions to maintain a defense of ignorance. It prevents individuals from escaping criminal responsibility by simply "turning a blind eye" to obvious warning signs.

• Example 1: Financial Fraud Scheme

  Imagine a financial advisor who is approached by a client with a highly unusual investment opportunity promising exceptionally high returns with no apparent risk. The advisor notices several red flags, such as the scheme's complex structure, the use of offshore accounts, and the client's insistence on secrecy. Despite these strong indicators that the scheme might be fraudulent or illegal, the advisor tells the client, "I don't want to know the details; just tell me where to send the money."

  In this scenario, a Jewell instruction would allow a jury to infer that the financial advisor had the necessary criminal knowledge or intent for fraud, even if they claimed ignorance of the specific illegal mechanisms. The advisor deliberately avoided investigating the obvious warning signs, choosing to remain ignorant rather than uncover potential illegality.

• Example 2: Illegal Waste Disposal

  Consider the manager of a manufacturing plant. An employee reports concerns about the plant's waste disposal practices, noting that barrels labeled "non-toxic" are being emptied into a local stream at night, and that the stream's water has changed color. The manager, worried about the cost of proper disposal, tells the employee, "I don't want to hear about it. Just make sure the waste is gone."

  Here, the manager was presented with clear evidence suggesting illegal environmental dumping. By actively discouraging further information and refusing to investigate, the manager deliberately chose to remain ignorant of the specific environmental violations. A Jewell instruction would permit a jury to conclude that the manager had the requisite knowledge of the illegal activity, despite claiming ignorance of the precise regulations being violated.

• Example 3: Smuggling Contraband

  A truck driver is offered a substantial cash payment to transport a sealed, unmarked trailer across a state border. The person hiring the driver insists that the driver not ask about the contents and warns against opening the trailer under any circumstances. The driver notices the trailer is unusually heavy and emits a faint, unusual chemical odor, but accepts the payment and transports it without question. The trailer is later found to contain illegally imported hazardous materials.

  In this case, the driver had multiple reasons to suspect the trailer contained illegal goods (unusual payment, secrecy, weight, odor). By deliberately choosing not to investigate or ask questions, the driver engaged in willful blindness. A Jewell instruction would allow the jury to infer that the driver had knowledge of the illegal smuggling, even if they never saw the hazardous materials themselves.