Lofton v. State

266 N.W.2d 576, 83 Wis. 2d 472, 1978 Wisc. LEXIS 1001
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJune 6, 1978
Docket76-015-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 266 N.W.2d 576 (Lofton v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lofton v. State, 266 N.W.2d 576, 83 Wis. 2d 472, 1978 Wisc. LEXIS 1001 (Wis. 1978).

Opinions

BEILFUSS, C. J.

The defendant contends that the complaint did not state sufficient facts to support the charge of first degree murder; that sufficient evidence was not presented at the preliminary hearing to support a bindover or to support the information charging first degree murder; and that at the close of trial testimony the county court should have granted the motion to dismiss on the ground that sufficient evidence had not been presented on the charge of first degree murder. In addition, the defendant argues that the trial court should have granted a mistrial because of statements made by the prosecutor during the rebuttal stage of his closing argument; that the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on the lesser included crime of homicide by negligent use of a weapon; and that she is entitled to a new trial in the interest of justice.

The defendant argues that the complaint is insufficient because it fails to allege facts showing that she shot George White with the intent to kill.

The two elements of first degree murder are that the defendant intended to kill the victim and that the defendant caused the death of the victim. Sec. 940.01, [477]*477Stats.1 Gloria Lofton does not challenge the sufficiency of the complaint as to the second element; she only argues that it failed to show an intent to kill.

City of Beloit Police Detective David Grenke alleges in the complaint, in part:

“That on or about December 29, 1974, he was called to the Jossie White residence at 1802 Arbor Drive, Beloit, Wisconsin, in reference to a disturbance; that upon his arrival at the White residence, this officer was taken to a nearby backyard; that they thereupon saw an individual with what appeared to be a bullet hole in his chest and blood on his shirt and that said individual was rushed to the Beloit Hospital; that according to information from the Coroner of Rock County and also the records of Beloit Hospital, Mr. White died within minutes of his arrival ;
“That this affiant hereupon commenced an extensive investigation of possible witnesses to the incident at the White residence; that this affiant has interviewed one of the witnesses to the disturbance who indicated that the defendant, Gloria Lofton, and her sister were engaged in an argument with the deceased and that said witness heard gun fire and saw the flash of a gun between the three persons heretofore mentioned, namely Gloria Lof-ton, her sister and the deceased;
“That on January 3, 1975, this affiant interviewed another witness to said incident who indicated to this af-fiant that there was an argument between the defendant, the deceased and the defendant’s sister; that said witness further indicated that immediately after that incident, in the presence of others, the defendant indicated that she was sorry and that she didn’t mean to shoot the deceased.”

[478]*478The standards by which this court tests the sufficiency of the complaint were reviewed in State v. Elson, 60 Wis.2d 54, 57-58, 208 N.W.2d 368 (1973) :

“By statute, a criminal ‘. . . complaint is a written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged,’ sec. 968.01, Stats., and in the case of State ex rel. Evanow v. Seraphim (1968), 40 Wis.2d 223, 161 N.W.2d 369, this court gave common sense meaning to the statute in that the complaint must answer certain fundamental questions. At page 230, it is stated:
“‘What is the charge? Who is charged? When and Where is the offense alleged to have taken place? Why is this particular person being charged? [and] . . . “Who says so ?” ’
“The sum of the answers to the above six questions as contained in the complaint ‘. . . must meet the test of “probable cause.”’ State ex rel. Cullen v. Ceci (1970), 45 Wis.2d 432, 443, 173 N.W.2d 175; State v. Becker (1971), 51 Wis.2d 659, 188 N.W.2d 449.
“ ‘A complaint is sufficient if a fair-minded magistrate could reasonably conclude that the facts alleged justify further criminal proceedings and that the charges are not merely capricious. State ex rel. Cullen v. Ceci, supra; Jaben v. United States (1965), 381 U. S. 214, 224, 85 Sup. Ct. 1365, 14 L. Ed.2d 345.’ State v. Becker, supra, at page 663.
“In testing the complaint, both facts and the reasonable inferences arising from the facts may be looked to.
“ ‘A complaint must state facts sufficient in themselves or admitting to reasonable inferences which are sufficient to establish probable cause.’ State v. Becker, supra, at page 662.”

Applying these standards, we find the complaint alleges sufficient facts to show an intent to kill. In Garcia v. State, 73 Wis.2d 174, 183, 242 N.W.2d 919 (1976), we said:

“There is the presumption that one intends the natural and probable consequences of his acts. State v. Cydzik (1973), 60 Wis.2d 683, 697, 211 N.W.2d 421. In cases [479]*479of first-degree murder, the fact that the defendant shot his victim in a vital part raises a presumption of intent. Smith v. State (1975), 69 Wis.2d 297, 303, 304, 230 N.W.2d 858."

In the instant complaint, Officer Grenke stated that he observed a bullet hole in the victim’s chest and the victim was rushed to the hospital where he died within minutes of his arrival. As in Garcia, the fact that George White was shot in a vital part of his body raises a presumption of intent.

The defendant contends that the evidence presented at the preliminary hearing was insufficient to support a bindover because the evidence did not support a finding of probable cause that a felony had been committed and that she committed it. She argues that the preliminary hearing only shows that a gun was fired from the area in which she was standing, and that she was never linked with the gunshot.

The standards by which this court reviews the evidence at a preliminary examination to determine whether it was sufficient to support the finding of the court were stated in State v. Olson, 75 Wis.2d 575, 584, 250 N.W.2d 12 (1977) :

“The defendant contends that the evidence adduced at the preliminary hearing was insufficient to support a bindover for trial. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if there is probable cause, a reasonable probability, to believe a felony has been committed by the defendant.
“The scope of appellate review of the sufficiency of the evidence adduced at the preliminary hearing is set forth in State ex rel. Hussong v. Froelich, 62 Wis.2d 577, 583, 215 N.W.2d 390 (1974):
“ ‘It is well established in this state that the evidence of a preliminary hearing need not be sufficient to prove the charge against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. The reviewing court can examine the evidence [480]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
266 N.W.2d 576, 83 Wis. 2d 472, 1978 Wisc. LEXIS 1001, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lofton-v-state-wis-1978.