State of Minnesota v. Thomas Raymond Struzyk

869 N.W.2d 280, 2015 Minn. LEXIS 472
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedAugust 26, 2015
DocketA13-821
StatusPublished
Cited by44 cases

This text of 869 N.W.2d 280 (State of Minnesota v. Thomas Raymond Struzyk) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Minnesota v. Thomas Raymond Struzyk, 869 N.W.2d 280, 2015 Minn. LEXIS 472 (Mich. 2015).

Opinions

OPINION

WRIGHT, Justice.

Following a jury trial, appellant was found guilty of felony fourth-degree assault of a peace officer, Minn.Stat. § 609.2231, subd. 1 (2014), and gross-misdemeanor obstruction of legal process or arrest, Minn.Stat. § 609.50, subd. 1(2) (2014). At issue is whether the intentional act of throwing or transferring bodily fluids at or onto the officer, in itself, is the crime of felony fourth-degree assault of a peace officer (transfer of bodily fluids), in violation of section 609.2231, subdivision 1. We conclude that the. plain and unambiguous language of section 609.2231, subdivision 1, requires that the State prove the elements of a physical assault in addition to proving that a defendant intentionally threw or transferred bodily fluids at or onto the officer. Because the district court erred by failing to include the element of “physical assault” in its instructions to the jury, we reverse and remand for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

I.

On August 22, 2012, Benton County Sheriffs Deputy Brad Kadlec went to the home that appellant Thomas R. Struzyk shared with his mother. The purpose of the officer’s visit was to execute a Stearns County arrest warrant alleging that Stru-zyk drove without proof of insurance. Struzyk’s mother allowed the officer to come inside, then woke up her son. Standing outside Struzyk’s bedroom, the officer identified himself as a law enforcement officer and told Struzyk of the warrant for Struzyk’s arrest. In response to Struzyk’s request to see the warrant, the officer explained that he did not have the warrant in his possession but that Struzyk could view an electronic copy on the computer in the officer’s squad car. After Struzyk inquired about the nature of the charged offense, the officer mistakenly told Struzyk that it was for passing a dishonored check.

Struzyk repeatedly swore at the officer and refused to get out of bed, prompting the deputy to call for backup assistance. As the officer stepped aside to place the call, he noticed a gun case in Struzyk’s bedroom. Struzyk slammed the bedroom door. Because the officer was concerned that Struzyk might possess a firearm, the officer reopened the bedroom door. Stru-zyk clenched his fists, assumed a “fighting stance,” and began to advance toward the officer. Retrieving his Taser, the officer ordered Struzyk to calm down. As Stru-zyk continued to advance, saying, “f* * *ing tase me,” the officer fired his Taser. Taser probes struck Struzyk in the chest and abdomen.

The officer testified that Struzyk removed one of the Taser probes and agreed to come with the officer. According to the officer, Struzyk subsequently lifted his shirt and said, “Look what you did to me.” Struzyk touched a small, bleeding chest [283]*283wound with his index finger and smeared a small amount of blood from the wound onto the officer’s uniform. As he did so, Struzyk said, “This is for you.” The officer testified that he also was wearing a bullet-proof vest and a T-shirt and that no blood touched his skin.

Struzyk testified that he never threatened the officer. According to Struzyk, as he was putting on his clothes, the officer became upset and tased him. After being tased, Struzyk testified, he pulled the probes out of his chest and tossed them to the officer. Struzyk admitted that, when he tossed the probes to the officer, blood could have transferred from the probes onto the officer’s uniform. The officer subsequently arrested Struzyk.

The State charged Struzyk with three offenses related to the incident. Count one alleged felony fourth-degree assault of ■a peace officer, a violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.2231, subd. 1, for intentionally smearing blood on the officer’s uniform. Count two alleged gross-misdemeanor fourth-degree assault of a peace officer, a violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.2231, subd. 1, for physically assaulting the officer while he was effectuating a lawful arrest or executing any other duty imposed by law.1 Count three alleged gross-misdemeanor obstructing legal process or arrest, a violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.50, subd. 1(2).

Prior to trial, Struzyk moved the district court to instruct the jury on count one as follows:

A “physical assault” is the intentional infliction of bodily harm upon another or an intentional attempt to inflict bodily harm upon another. You may find that the act of throwing or transferring bodily fluid at or onto the officer in itself constituted a physical assault if you find that the manner in which the bodily fluids were thrown or transferred at or onto the officer meets the definition of “physical assault,” contained herein.

The State objected. In its view, because the act of intentionally throwing or otherwise transferring bodily fluids or feces at or onto an officer, in itself, is a felony assault under Minn.Stat. § 609.2231, subd. 1, the act need not independently involve an intentional infliction of bodily harm on another or an intentional attempt to inflict bodily harm.

The district court denied Struzyk’s requested instructions, citing State v. Kelley, 734 N.W.2d 689, 691-95 (Minn.App.2007). In Kelley, the court of appeals rejected an argument that a felony fourth-degree assault of a peace officer, section 609.2231, subdivision 1, requires the State to prove both an independent assault and the intentional act of throwing or transferring bodily fluids or feces. Instead, the district court instructed the jury based on CRIM-JIG 13.22, which required for a felony fourth-degree assault that a jury find only that the accused intentionally threw or transferred bodily fluids onto a peace officer. See 10 Minn. Dist. Judges Ass’n, Minnesota Practice — Jury Instruction Guides, Criminal, CRIMJIG 13.22 (5th ed. Supp. 2012). Specifically, the district court instructed the jury that the elements of felony fourth-degree assault of a peace officer are as follows:

First, [the officer] was a licensed Minnesota peace officer at the time of the assault.
Second, the Defendant threw or otherwise transferred bodily fluid or feces at or onto the officer.
[284]*284Third, the Defendant did so intentionally-
Fourth, the assault occurred while [the officer] was effecting an arrest or executing any other duty imposed by law.
Fifth, the Defendant’s act took place on or about August 22, 2012 in Benton County.

The jury found Struzyk guilty of count one, felony fourth-degree assault of' a peace officer, and count three, gross-misdemeanor obstruction of legal process or arrest. But the jury acquitted Struzyk of count two: gross-misdemeanor fourth-degree physical assault of a peace officer, in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.2231, subd. 1, for allegedly inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm upon the officer while he was effectuating a lawful arrest or executing any other duty imposed by law. The district court stayed the imposition of Struzyk’s sentence for the fourth-degree felony-assault conviction and placed Stru-zyk on probation for three years. The district court declined to adjudicate the gross-misdemeanor obstruction offense.

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Bluebook (online)
869 N.W.2d 280, 2015 Minn. LEXIS 472, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-minnesota-v-thomas-raymond-struzyk-minn-2015.