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Criminal Law Keyed to Weaver
Robinson v. State of California
Citation:
370 U.S. 660 (1962)ProfessorScott Caron
CaseCast™ – "What you need to know"
Facts
Officers observed scabs and needle marks on Robinson’s arms as well as discoloration on the inside of Robinson’s arm. The officer, based on his 10 years as a member on the narcotics team opined that the discoloration was the result of using needles that were not sterile. He further stated that the scabs were several days old and that Robinson was neither under the influence of narcotics nor having withdrawals. He also stated that Robinson admitted to using narcotics in the past.
The judge at trial instructed the jury that Robinson could be convicted with a general verdict form if the jury found that Robinson was either addicted to the use of narcotics or was caught using narcotics. The jury issued a general verdict form convicting Robinson.
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Topic Resources
Topic Outline
Elements of a CrimeTopic Refresher Course
Elements of a Crime: Actus Reus