State v. Armstrong

1973 NMCA 081, 511 P.2d 560, 85 N.M. 234
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 23, 1973
Docket1004
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 1973 NMCA 081 (State v. Armstrong) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Armstrong, 1973 NMCA 081, 511 P.2d 560, 85 N.M. 234 (N.M. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

OPINION

HERNANDEZ, Judge.

Defendant was convicted after trial by jury on one count of rape (§ 40A-9-2, N. M.S.A.1953 (2d Repl. Vol. 6)) and one count of sodomy (§ 40A 9-6, N.M.S.A. 1953 (2d Repl.Vol. 6)).

On the night of October 3, 1971 at about 11:15 the prosecutrix was returning home. She had parked and locked her car when another car drove up and stopped behind hers. A man, later identified as the defendant, got down and called to her and as she turned he walked up and took her by the arm. He had a knife in his hand which he held close to her stomach. He ordered her to get back into her car on the passenger side. Defendant then got in and drove to an isolated area east of Albuquerque where the acts complained of were committed.

Defendant does not dispute the fact that the sexual acts complained of took place. Instead, he contends that: (1) the New Mexico sodomy statute under which he was convicted, § 40A-9-6, supra, is unconstitutional because it is overly broad; (2) that the trial court erred in refusing to give two requested instructions relating to a defense of consent on the rape count; and (3) that his motion to suppress evidence of an out-of-court photographic identification of defendant by the prosecutrix and her subsequent in-court identification was improperly denied.

We affirm.

We discuss the points in inverse order.

(1) Denial of the motion to suppress the photographic identification and the in-court identification.

The prosecutrix was shown a group of photographs including one of defendant sometime during the course of the investigation. Defendant asserts that the identification of the defendant by the prosecutrix at trial was tainted by the previous photographic identification because there was a “complete lack of similarities between the persons [in the photographs] shown the complainant * * * [and] [s]uch a lack of similarities clearly creates a substantial likelihood of misidentification.” The photographs themselves were not introduced into evidence at the trial, nor was the earlier photographic identification alluded to in the presence of the jury.

The trial court reviewed the photographs at trial and denied the motion to suppress. The test in New Mexico with respect to suppression of out-of-court photographic identifications is whether the “ ‘photographic identification procedure was so impermissibly suggestive as to give rise to a very substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification.’ ” State v. Baldonado, 82 N.M. 581, 484 P.2d 1291 (Ct.App.1971); State v. Gilliam, 83 N.M. 325, 491 P.2d 1080 (Ct.App.1971). The photographs are of individuals of about the same age, hirsuteness and color as the defendant and there is nothing about them, in our opinion, that is “impermissibly suggestive” or would lead to an “irreparable misidentification.”

Moreover, the facts of this case lead inescapably to the conclusion that whatever impact the earlier photographic identification had upon the prosecutrix, her in-court identification was independent of the earlier showing of photographs. The prosecutrix was abducted at about 11:00 p. m. and not released until shortly before 3:00 a. m. When asked to identify the defendant in court her identification was unhesitating :

“Q. Did you have occasion to see that man’s face at that time or later in the evening?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Are you able to identify him ?
“A. Most definitely.”

Under these circumstances we must conclude that the in-court identification of defendant was independent of the earlier photographic identification. State v. McCarty, 82 N.M. 515, 484 P.2d 357 (Ct.App.1971); State v. Morales, 81 N.M. 333, 466 P.2d 899 (Ct.App.1970), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 842, 91 S.Ct. 84, 27 L.Ed.2d 77 (1970).

(2) Refusal to give the two requested instructions on consent as a defense to the charge of rape.

At the conclusion of the evidence, defendant submitted two requested instructions on the defense of consent:

“2. To constitute the crime of rape, it must be without the consent of the complainant. If you find that there was no actual consent, then you must ask yourselves whether a reasonable man in the same or similar circumstances as the defendant would have thought that the complainant was consenting. If a reasonable man in the same or similar circumstances as the defendant would have thought the complainant was consenting, then you must find him not guilty of the crime of rape.
“3. You are instructed that a reasonable belief that the complainant is consenting is a defense to the crime of rape even though she may not have actually consented.”

The trial court gave as its instruction No. 3 the following:

“You are instructed that ‘rape’ is defined as a male causing a female other than his wife to engage in sexual intercourse with him without her consent when the female’s resistance is forcibly overcome.”

Defendant alleges that he was entitled to have his instructions given because the prosecutrix’ actions were consistent with a reasonable belief that she was consenting to the acts of sexual intercourse. The only witness at trial who testified as to the sexual relations was the pro'secutrix.

. She testified that when defendant entered the car the first time, she initially attempted to converse with him “rationally”, because “I was scared to the point if I did anything to upset him he would hurt me.” When asked, “Did you make any forceful physical attack; did you use any force toward him?”, she replied, “I was trying to push him away.” After defense counsel inquired further as to her actions she states:

“ * * * I tried to push him away from me, keep him away from me. I did no more. There was not much room. I couldn’t move anymore. I told him I did not want to participate, it was his game, not mine.”

She further stated that when defendant was attempting rectal intercourse, “ * * * I protested harshly * * * He did it anyway and said ‘Shut up and do what I tell you.’ ”

As a general rule, a defendant is entitled to an instruction supporting his theory of the case when there is evidence to support it. State v. Garcia, 79 N.M. 367, 443 P.2d 860 (1968); State v. Parker, 80 N.M. 551, 458 P.2d 803 (Ct.App.1969). Here, a review of the record and a thorough examination of the prosecutrix’ testimony, as shown above, does not even raise a slight inference of consent on the part of the victim.

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Related

State v. Clark
722 P.2d 685 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1986)
State v. Parrillo
607 P.2d 636 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1979)
State v. Lara
587 P.2d 52 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1978)
State v. Elliott
551 P.2d 1352 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1976)
State v. Helker
545 P.2d 1028 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1975)
State v. Elliott
539 P.2d 207 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1975)
State v. Foster
530 P.2d 949 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1974)
State v. Brewster
525 P.2d 389 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1974)
State v. Marchiondo
515 P.2d 146 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1973)
State v. Sanchez
512 P.2d 696 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1973)
State v. Barnett
512 P.2d 977 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1973)
Armstrong v. State
511 P.2d 554 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1973)
State v. Armstrong
1973 NMCA 081 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1973)

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Bluebook (online)
1973 NMCA 081, 511 P.2d 560, 85 N.M. 234, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-armstrong-nmctapp-1973.