Lynch v. State

552 N.E.2d 56, 1990 Ind. App. LEXIS 445, 1990 WL 42410
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 12, 1990
Docket20A03-8906-CR-218
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 552 N.E.2d 56 (Lynch v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lynch v. State, 552 N.E.2d 56, 1990 Ind. App. LEXIS 445, 1990 WL 42410 (Ind. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinions

HOFFMAN, Presiding Judge.

Defendant-appellant Michael R. Lynch appeals his jury conviction for murder, a Class A felony.

On January 12, 1988, the defendant, who resided with his parents, went to his mother's bedroom and retrieved a .410 bolt action shotgun. While his father, the victim, was in the shower, defendant entered the bathroom, positioned the gun within 2 to 3 inches of his father's body and fired.

Defendant then called 911 but when asked his name he hung up. The defendant fled from the residence on foot.

[58]*58When police arrived at the residence they discovered the victim lying on the kitchen floor. Officer Schollian asked the victim who shot him and he replied that his son had shot him. The victim advised police that his son had left on foot.

Shortly thereafter, defendant was apprehended as he was walking on the street. The defendant had blood all over his face, hands, and clothing. The blood was his father's. Defendant was arrested and his rights were read to him. Defendant indicated that he understood those rights and asked, "How's my dad?" A video-taped statement was taken from the defendant in which he claimed the blood on his clothing was from hunting deer.

Appellant raises four issues for our review:

(1) whether the trial court erred by refusing to give the jury the defendant's tendered Instruction No. 5, a lesser included offense instruction on involuntary manslaughter;
(2) whether the trial court erred by refusing to give the jury the defendant's tendered Instruction No. 4, an instruction concerning reduced mental capacity;
(8) whether the trial court erred in admitting the decedent's statement made two hours after the shooting at the hospital; and
(4) whether the trial court erred in admitting a video tape of the defendant's questioning by police.

I.

Appellant claims his instruction on involuntary manslaughter should have been given. There is a two-step analysis that must be applied in determining the propriety of an instruction on a lesser offense. Each step must be satisfied before the instruction may be given. In the first step the statute and the charging information must be examined. The second step involves examining the evidence. The court in Jones v. State (1982), Ind., 438 N.E.2d 972, held that "the state through its drafting can foreclose as to the defendant, the tactical opportunity to seek a conviction for a lesser offense. The point is that absolute discretion rests in the state to determine the crime(s) with which a defendant will be charged." Id., 438 N.E.2d at 975. The charging information in this case read:

"[On or about the 12th day of January, 1988 at the County of Elkhart and State of Indiana, one MICHAEL R. LYNCH did, then and there unlawfully commit the crime of murder by knowingly, unlawfully and feloniously shooting and killing one Duane L. Lynch, a human being, by then and there discharging a dangerous and deadly weapon, to-wit: a shotgun which the said Michael R. Lynch then and there held in his hands, and which shotgun was then and there loaded with gun powder and leaden ball, and the said Michael R. Lynch did then and there shoot the said Duane L. Lynch and then and there fatally wound him, and the said Duane L. Lynch did then and there languish and die in St. Joseph County, Indiana, on or about the 25th day of January, 1988; all of which is contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided, to-wit: I.C. 85-42-1-1",

It is obvious that the State sought only to charge the defendant for murder. Inject ing the lesser offense would allow the jury to return a compromise verdict.

See: Sills v. State (1984), Ind., 463 N.E.2d 228;
Jones, supra.

It was not error to refuse defendant's tendered Instruction No. 5 on involuntary manslaughter.

IL.

Appellant contends that the trial court committed error by not giving defendant's tendered Instruction No. 4 on reduced mental capacity, whether caused by mental illness, mental defect, intoxication, or any other cause. The following are excerpts from the court's instructions:

"No. 8:
To convict the Defendant, the State must have proved beyond a reasonable doubt each of the following elements:
[59]*59The Defendant
(1) knowingly
(2) killed
(3) another human being, to-wit:
If the State failed to prove each of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt, you should find the Defendant not guilty.
If the State did prove each of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt, you should find the Defendant guilty of Murder, a felony.
However, even if the State did prove each of the above elements beyond a reasonable doubt, and the Defendant also proved by a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of the offense, as a result of a mental disease or defect, he was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct at the time of the offense, then you should find the Defendant not responsible by reason of insanity at the time of the offense.
Further, if you find that the State did prove each of the elements of the crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt, and you further find that at the time of the offense that the Defendant did not suffer from a mental disease or defect or that he was able to appreciate the wrongfulness of the conduct at the time of the crime, but you also find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that he suffered from a psychiatric disorder which substantially disturbed his thinking, feeling, or behavior and impaired his ability to function or that he had a mental retardation, then you should find the Defendant guilty of Murder, but mentally ill at the time of the offense.
* * # * * %
No. 6:
In all cases in which the defense of insanity is interposed, the Jury may find whether the Defendant is:
A) Guilty
B) Not Guilty
C) Not Responsible by reason of insanity at the time of the offense which means that a person is not responsible for having engaged in prohibited conduct if as a result
of mental disease or defect, he was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of the conduct at the time of the offense. 'Mental Disease or Defect means a severely abnormal mental condition that grossly and demonstrably impairs a person's perception, but does not include an abnormality manifested only by repeated unlawful or antisocial conduct.
D) Guilty, but mentally ill at the time of the offense which means that the Defendant had a psychiatric disorder which substantially disturbed his thinking, feeling, or behavior and impaired his ability to function. 'Mentally IIF includes having any mental retardation.
* # * * * *
No. 9:

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Related

Meriweather v. State
659 N.E.2d 133 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1995)
Wright v. State
658 N.E.2d 563 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1995)
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603 N.E.2d 1384 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1992)
Lynch v. State
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Lynch v. State
552 N.E.2d 56 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1990)

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Bluebook (online)
552 N.E.2d 56, 1990 Ind. App. LEXIS 445, 1990 WL 42410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lynch-v-state-indctapp-1990.