State v. Denton

420 P.2d 930, 101 Ariz. 455, 1966 Ariz. LEXIS 370
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 23, 1966
Docket1654
StatusPublished
Cited by35 cases

This text of 420 P.2d 930 (State v. Denton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Denton, 420 P.2d 930, 101 Ariz. 455, 1966 Ariz. LEXIS 370 (Ark. 1966).

Opinion

BERNSTEIN, Vice Chief Justice.

Defendant appeals from convictions in the Superior Court of Pima County on one count of rape and two counts of attempted rape. The attempted rape charges were tried August 17, 1965 and the rape charge was tried September 9, 1965. All three convictions are presented on this appeal.

The facts taken in a manner most favorable to support the verdict below, State v. Reyes, 99 Ariz. 257, 408 P.2d 400, are as follows: On the evening of April 19, 1965 the defendant entered a Tucson laundromat occupied only by the complaining witness, a 43-year-old mother of 13 children. The defendant grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the rear of the store where the act was committed. Her dress was torn as she fought the defendant, but she ultimately submitted to the act because she feared he would kill her if she continued to resist. The defendant testified that he only wanted to hurt the woman, not rape her. He admitted that he grabbed her and tore her dress during a brief struggle, but said she eventually consented although he did not know whether he achieved penetration.

The defendant’s signed confession was admitted into evidence after a hearing out of the jury’s presence and after a determination of voluntariness was made. In the statement the defendant admitted his guilt:

“Q. Do you remember going into the laundromat on that time and date?
"A. Yes.
“Q. Why did you go into the laundromat?
“A. I went in to attack the woman.”
******
“Q. ■ Did you actually succeed in having intercourse with the woman?
“A. Yes.”
***** 5fi
“Q. Did this lady consent to you doing this to her ?
“A. No.”

At the trial on the two attempted rape charges, the first complaining witness testified that on the evening of October 20, 1964 she was cleaning the inside of her automobile at a commercial car wash, when the defendant came up behind her and pushed her across the front seat. He tried to remove her shorts, ripped her blouse and brassiere and said “Come on”. The attack stopped after she managed to start honking the car horn. ¡

The other complaining witness testified that on the evening of November 14, 1964 she was walking home when the defendant grabbed her, threw her to the ground and tore her undergarments. He was frightened off by the headlights of an approaching automobile. The defendant testified that he just wanted to “hurt” and “touch” the women.

His signed confessions of both crimes were admitted into evidence after a hearing out of the jury’s presence on the issue of voluntariness. In a statement in regard to the October 20, 1964 occurrence the defendant said he approached the woman at the car wash to try and rape her, that he tried to tear off her clothes but left because he was afraid her honking the horn would attract attention. In a statement in regards to the November 14, 1964 occurrence he said that he attacked the woman walking along the street and was going to rape her.

Defendant’s first contention is that there is no crime of attempted rape in Arizona. He directs our attention to the fact that A.R.S. § 13-614 provides that the maximum penalty for first degree rape is five years to life imprisonment. The pertinent part of A.R.S. § 13-110 provides that if the offense attempted is punishable by five years or more a person convicted of an attempt will be sentenced to

“a term not exceeding one half the longest term of imprisonment prescribed *458 upon conviction of the offense so attempted.”

Since it is impossible to predict the life expectancy of any particular person, it is impossible to impose punishment of one half his life expectancy. Defendant concludes there can be no crime of attempted rape because a criminal statute must contain a definite penalty. This court rejected defendant’s argument in State v. Mandel, 78 Ariz. 226, 278 P.2d 413 in which we held that:.

“ * * * (W)here a court is given the discretion to fix a period of years to life, it can take as the prescribed maximum such period of years as it deems proper as a base maximum and impose a sentence for the attempt at not to exceed one-half such base maximum.” 78 Ariz. at 231, 278 P.2d at 417.

Defendant next argues that the signed confessions admitted into evidence were not voluntarily given. At each trial the judge conducted a hearing out of the presence of the jury to determine the issue of voluntariness. All of the defendant’s confessions were taken the same day. The police officers testified how they advised defendant of his rights before they asked him any questions. Their testimony is supported by the signed statements which recite in detail how defendant was advised. Defendant’s claim of involuntariness is based upon his belief that he would get the psychiatric help he needed if he cooperated with the interrogating officers. The officers denied that they offered or defendant requested medical attention of any kind. The trial court must resolve such conflicts in the evidence and we will affirm its determination of voluntariness if there is substantial evidence to support it. State v. Rivera, 94 Ariz. 45, 381 P.2d 584. The record is clear that the courts did not abuse their discretion in admitting the confessions. , See Jackson v. Denno, 378 U.S. 368, 84 S.Ct. 1774, 12 L.Ed.2d 908.

Defendant next argues that the trial court comnjitted prejudicial error in the. rape trial by' allowing the officer who witnessed defendant’s confessions and was the complaining witness to remain in the courtroom while defendant testified during the hearing to determine the voluntariness of the confessions. The rule of exclusion had been invoked. Exclusion of witnesses is within the discretion of the trial court whose decision will not be disturbed unless an abuse of discretion and the resulting prejudice is shown. State v. Sowards, 99 Ariz. 22, 406 P.2d 202; State v. Armenta, 98 Ariz. 152, 402 P.2d 571. Defendant has not shown or suggested any prejudice. We hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion.

Defendant next contends that the trial court in the rape case erred in refusing to give two requested instructions. They are:

1.

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Bluebook (online)
420 P.2d 930, 101 Ariz. 455, 1966 Ariz. LEXIS 370, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-denton-ariz-1966.