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STATE v. CAYSON (2021)

Court of Appeals of Oregon.2021-12-01No. A172919

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Opinion

Defendant was convicted based on unanimous jury verdicts on two counts of second-degree kidnapping (Counts 1 and 2), one count of strangulation (Count 4), and one count of fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence (Count 5). He also was convicted based on nonunanimous jury verdicts of coercion (Count 3) and menacing constituting domestic violence (Count 6). He argues on appeal that the court erred denying his request for a jury-unanimity instruction, and instructing the jury it could return nonunanimous verdicts, which was erroneous under Ramos v. Louisiana, 590 U.S. ––––, 140 S.Ct. 1390, 206 L.Ed.2d 583 (2020). The state concedes the error, and we conclude that defendant is entitled to reversal of the nonunanimous guilty verdicts on Counts 3 and 6. Defendant also argues that the erroneous instruction entitles him to reversal of all of his convictions because it constituted structural error. We reject that argument for the reasons set forth in State v. Flores Ramos, 367 Or. 292, 319, 478 P.3d 515 (2020).

Convictions on Counts 3 and 6 reversed and remanded; remanded for resentencing; otherwise affirmed.

PER CURIAM