State v. Walker
Kansas Supreme Court
80 P.3d 1132 (2003)
Michael Walker (defendant) was tried for first-degree felony murder after a drive-by shooting that killed a young child. After receiving a standard reasonable-doubt instruction, the jury asked for a clearer definition; over the prosecutor's objection but with defense counsel's approval, the judge gave a lengthy additional instruction including the phrase that reasonable doubt "is such a doubt as a juror is able to give a reason for." The jury convicted Walker, and he appealed, challenging that supplemental instruction.
Whether judicial efforts to define reasonable doubt beyond the clear meaning of the words themselves, or the applicable statutory definition, may confuse the jury and therefore be improper.