UJI 14-252 NMRA
UJI 14-252. Homicide; negligence of deceased or third person.
The State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s act was a
significant cause of the death of __________________ (name of victim). An issue in
this case is whether the negligence of a person other than the defendant may have
contributed to the cause of death. Such contributing negligence does not relieve the
defendant of responsibility for an act that significantly contributed to the cause of the
death so long as the death was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s actions.
However, if you find the negligence of a person other than the defendant was the
only significant cause of death or constitutes an intervening cause that breaks the
foreseeable chain of events, then the defendant is not guilty of the offense of
__________________ (name of offense).