Commonwealth v. Hawkins

16 Pa. D. & C.4th 104, 1992 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 162
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, York County
DecidedSeptember 17, 1992
Docketno. 1256 C.A. 1992
StatusPublished

This text of 16 Pa. D. & C.4th 104 (Commonwealth v. Hawkins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, York County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Hawkins, 16 Pa. D. & C.4th 104, 1992 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 162 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992).

Opinion

CASSIMATTS, J.,

A jury found the defendant guilty of simple assault. Defendant filed his motion for new trial, alleging the court erred in admitting evidence that the defendant was passed out and intoxicated when arrested in his home and in refusing to admit evidence, in the form of a letter from Children & Youth Services of York County, informing the defendant that the report of suspected abuse in which he was named as a subject was determined to be unfounded. The motion for new trial will be granted.

The evidence at the trial established that on March 13, 1992, 12-year-old Christopher Norris was visiting at his friend’s house, Ronald D. Hawkins III, when Ronald’s father, the defendant, challenged him to a fight. During the ensuing assault the defendant’s son was kicked about the head causing injuries. When he had completed his assault on his son, the defendant challenged Chris Norris. He declined and the defendant responded that “he must not have any balls.”

Upon witnessing this attack, Chris Norris gathered his belongings and fled the house. He ran to his own house where he reported this incident to his father, James Norris. [106]*106James promptly telephoned the police and then proceeded to the defendant’s house. When he arrived there he met with the defendant’s son who assured him everything was okay. He promptly changed this, however, becoming agitated and emotional. James. Norris then took the defendant’s son back to his house to await the arrival of the medical personnel.

Ronald D. Hawkins III, was transported to Memorial Hospital where he was examined and treated by Dr. Nancy Fitch. During the course of this examination, Ronald advised Dr. Fitch that his father had kicked him in the right ear and punched him in the eye. Dr. Fitch observed a contusion above his right eye and a patecheal contusion around his neck, injuries consistent with the history provided.

Officer Rick Magee and Corporal Mark Birchfield of the Northern York County Regional Police Department also responded to the scene. They were led to the defendant’s house by the defendant’s wife, where they found the defendant passed out and apparently in an intoxicated state. On the information they received, the officers placed the defendant under arrest.

The issues in this case are:

I. Whether the court erred in admitting evidence that the defendant was passed out and intoxicated when arrested in his home?

II. Whether the court erred in refusing to admit a letter from Children & Youth Services which noted that their agency was not making an indicated finding in this case?

[107]*107DISCUSSION

With respect to the first issue, Corporal Mark Birchfield of the Northern York County Regional Police Department, testified that at 4:14 p.m. he arrived at defendant’s residence. He found the defendant asleep on the sofa. Corporal Birchfield then testified “Upon then contacting Mr. Hawkins, he appeared to be very intoxicated, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, somewhat argumentative. Just, in my experience, the typical state of being intoxicated.” He further testified that he could smell an intoxicant upon defendant’s person but did not look for any alcohol in the vicinity or in the area where the defendant was found. The assault by the defendant on his son was observed by Chris Norris very shortly after he entered the defendant’s house, around 3:30 p.m.

It is the crime of simple assault under Crimes Code §2701(a), if a person: “(1) attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly; causes bodily injury to another.”

Defendant argues the court abused its discretion in admitting evidence of his intoxication where that was not raised as a defense. He then goes on to say “Assuming, arguendo, that evidence of the defendant’s intoxication was relevant, its relevance was outweighed by the risk of prejudice resulting from the jury’s hearing that evidence.”

On the other hand, the Commonwealth argues that evidence of the intoxication is relevant because it tends to establish a fact material to the case or it tends to make a fact at issue more or less probable and:

[108]*108“In the instant case a theory supporting the defendant’s innocence was that the injuries inflicted upon Ronald Hawkins III, were accidental and incidental to mutual horse play which he and the defendant were engaged in. The Commonwealth’s position, however, was that the injuries were inflicted as a result of a deliberate and reckless act by the defendant.
“The defendant’s conduct shortly after the infliction of these injuries were extremely relevant in determining the defendant’s state of mind at the time of the act. Had the innocent theory of an accident been correct, then it could be argued that the jury would have expected some evidence of the defendant showing some concern for his son as he was ambulated to the hospital. Conversely, his advanced state of intoxication shortly after the assault is equally dispositive of his concern for his son and his state of mind at the time of the assault. Evidence of the defendant’s intoxication establishes the defendant’s intentional or reckless state of mind as more probable than not at the time of the assault and therefore was properly admitted.”

We do not agree with the Commonwealth’s analysis, finding it much too tenuous. We see no link between defendant’s intoxication and his intentional state of mind. On the other hand, we do note that in civil cases in Pennsylvania the general rule is: “[Wjhen recklessness or carelessness is at issue, proof of intoxication is relevant, but the mere fact of consuming alcohol is not admissible, being unfairly prejudicial, unless it reasonably establishes intoxication.” Cusatis v. Reichert, 267 Pa. Super. 247, 249-50, 406 A.2d 787, 789 (1979).

[109]*109We conclude that in a criminal proceeding, as in a civil proceeding, proof of intoxication is relevant to prove recklessness in a charge of simple assault under section 2701(a)(1) but does not bear on the intentional state of mind.

“Evidence which tends to establish some fact material to the case, or which tends to make a fact at issue more or less probable, is relevant.” Commonwealth v. Scott, 480 Pa. 50, 54, 389 A.2d 79, 82 (1970), appeal after remand, 496 Pa. 188, 436 A.2d 607 (1981). We fail to see how defendant’s intoxication establishes some fact material to defendant’s state of mind being intentional or that evidence of such intoxication would tend to make defendant’s intentional state of mind more or less probable. This is not a case where defendant is asserting that his intoxicated state precluded him from having an intentional state of mind. This is a case of the Commonwealth introducing evidence of defendant’s intoxication.

As we have concluded, the proof of intoxication is relevant in this criminal proceeding to prove recklessness in a charge of simple assault under section 2701(a)(1), we move on to the next question: how much evidence is necessary to reasonably establish that the person was intoxicated? This is, of course, a preliminary question of fact.

In Cusatis, supra,

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Bluebook (online)
16 Pa. D. & C.4th 104, 1992 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-hawkins-pactcomplyork-1992.