State Of Washington, V Russell David Homan

364 P.3d 839, 191 Wash. App. 759
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided December 15, 2015·No. 42529-7-II·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

[As amended by order of the Court of Appeals February 11,2016.]

Maxa, J.

¶1 — Russell Homan appeals his conviction for luring under RCW 9A.40.090. He argues that RCW 9A.40-.090 is unconstitutionally overbroad both facially and as applied to the facts of his case. We hold that the luring statute as written is facially overbroad. However, pursuant to our obligation to adopt a limiting construction that will render the statute constitutional, we imply a criminal intent element for the crime of luring under RCW 9A.40-.090. Because the trial court was not aware that it was required to find criminal intent in order to convict Homan, we reverse Homan’s conviction and remand for a new trial.

FACTS

¶2 In August 2010, Homan rode past nine-year-old CCN on his bicycle and said, “[D]o you want some candy? I’ve got some at my house.” Clerk’s Papers at 3-4. CCN said nothing in response, but reported the incident to his mother and the police. Homan was charged with and convicted of luring under RCW 9A.40.090 in a bench trial.

¶3 Homan appealed his conviction, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction and that RCW 9A.40.090 was unconstitutionally overbroad. This court held that there was insufficient evidence to support Homan’s luring conviction, and therefore did not reach Homan’s overbreadth argument. State v. Homan, 172 Wn. App. 488, 492-93, 290 P.3d 1041 (2012), rev’d, 181 Wn.2d 102, 330 P.3d 182 (2014). The State appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court held that there was *764 sufficient evidence to support Homan’s luring conviction, and remanded the case to this court to determine whether RCW 9A.40.090 is unconstitutionally overbroad. Homan, 181 Wn.2d at 110-11.

ANALYSIS

A. Statutory Language

¶4 RCW 9A.40.090 provides in part, that a person commits the crime of luring if the person:

(1)(a) Orders, lures, or attempts to lure a minor or a person with a developmental disability into any area or structure that is obscured from or inaccessible to the public, or away from any area or structure constituting a bus terminal, airport terminal, or other transportation terminal, or into a motor vehicle;
(b) Does not have the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian or of the guardian of the person with a developmental disability; and
(c) Is unknown to the child or developmentally disabled person.
(2) It is a defense to luring, which the defendant must prove by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant’s actions were reasonable under the circumstances and the defendant did not have any intent to harm the health, safety, or welfare of the minor or the person with the developmental disability.

For purposes of this statute, “minor” refers to a person under the age of 16 and a “person with a developmental disability” means a person with a developmental disability as defined in RCW 71A.10.020(5). RCW 9A.40.090(3)(a)-(b).

¶5 The legislature has not defined the terms “lure” and “luring.” State v. McReynolds, 142 Wn. App. 941, 947, 176 P.3d 616 (2008). However, case law defines “lure” as an invitation accompanied by an enticement. Homan, 181 Wn.2d at 107; State v. Dana, 84 Wn. App. 166, 176, 926 P.2d 344 (1996).

*765 ¶6 RCW 9A.40.090 does not require a defendant to engage in any conduct to commit the crime of luring. Homan, 181 Wn.2d at 108. Luring may be committed with words alone. Id. In addition, RCW 9A.40.090 as written contains no criminal intent requirement. Dana, 84 Wn. App. at 175.

B. Facial Overbreadth Challenge

¶7 Homan argues that RCW 9A.40.090 is facially over-broad under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution because it criminalizes a substantial amount of constitutionally protected speech. 1 The State argues that although RCW 9A.40.090 does apply to some constitutionally protected speech, it does not prohibit a substantial amount of such speech. The State also argues that the affirmative defense in RCW 9A.40.090(2) cures any overbreadth problems. We hold that the statute as written is facially overbroad and that the affirmative defense in RCW 9A.40.090(2) does not cure the statute’s overbreadth.

1. Burden of Proof

¶8 A facial challenge to a law on First Amendment grounds does not require us to address the specific facts of the case - whether the defendant’s actual speech was constitutionally protected. State v. Immelt, 173 Wn.2d 1, 7, 267 P.3d 305 (2011). The question is whether the law improperly infringes on protected speech in general. Id.

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State Of Washington, V Russell David Homan, 364 P.3d 839, 191 Wash. App. 759 (Wash. Ct. App. 2015).

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