In a case that focused on whether a jury should have been instructed on a possible lesser charge for a man arrested several times for panhandling, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Superior Court judge acted properly in not giving those instructions.

The state’s prosecutor said Friday the state Supreme Court ruling made it clear that actual facts, not theories, must be presented at trial for a judge to instruct on lesser charges, such as in the case of panhandler Michael Marsala.