State v. Dyer

514 P.2d 363, 16 Or. App. 247, 1973 Ore. App. LEXIS 694
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedSeptember 28, 1973
DocketNo. 20772
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 514 P.2d 363 (State v. Dyer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Dyer, 514 P.2d 363, 16 Or. App. 247, 1973 Ore. App. LEXIS 694 (Or. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

THORNTON, J.

On July 31, 1972, in the Yamhill County Courthouse at McMinnville, defendant shot and killed his wife as they were waiting for a custody hearing to begin in the circuit court. Dyer also killed a female friend of his wife and fired two shots at a Yamhill deputy sheriff, who returned his fire and wounded him. At his trial Dyer relied on an insanity defense; [249]*249however, he was convicted by jury on two counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

Defendant appeals, alleging: (1) that it was error to change venue from Yamhill to Polk County because of the close proximity to McMinnville; (2) that certain lay witnesses should not have been allowed to express their opinions on Dyer’s sanity as they were not shown to be intimate acquaintances; and (3) that it was error to deny defendant’s motion for a mistrial on the ground that the prosecutor expounded an incorrect test of insanity in eliciting testimony from several witnesses as to defendant’s sanity and in arguing the case to the jury.

Defendant’s first assignment of error is without merit as defense counsel, who requested the change of venue, expressed no objection to having the trial moved to Polk County.

Defendant’s second assignment of error is likewise without merit. OES 41.900 (10) permits intimate acquaintances to give their opinion respecting defendant’s sanity. In this regard, “* * * it is within the discretion of the trial court to say when the witness has shown, himself competent and qualified to express an opinion upon the subject # * * *." State v. Hansen, 25 Or 391, 395, 35 P 976, 36 P 296 (1894); accord, State of Oregon v. Garver, 190 Or 291, 315, 225 P2d 771 (1950); State v. Hassing, 60 Or 81, 90, 118 P 195 (1911); see also, State v. Sherl, 250 Or 346, 442 P2d 610 (1968); State v. Van Dolah, 14 Or App 125, 512 P2d 1013 (1973).

The lay witnesses who expressed their opinion as to Dyer’s sanity are sufficiently more intimate with defendant than the jailer who was permitted to express [250]*250an opinion in Hansen. The weight to be given to the testimony of the witnesses is for the jury to determine. Lassas v. McCarty, 47 Or 474, 482, 84 P 76 (1906); State v. Sherl, supra at 348.

We now consider Dyer’s third assignment of error, relating to his insanity plea. ORS 161.295 (1) was adopted by the 1971 legislature and is based on § 4.01 (1) of the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code (1962). The new test of insanity contained in ORS 161.295 (1) represents a substantial change from the prior test in Oregon.

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Related

State v. J. C. N.-V.
342 P.3d 1046 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2015)
State v. Fowler
587 P.2d 104 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1978)
State ex rel. Juvenile Department v. L J
552 P.2d 1322 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1976)
Matter of LJ
552 P.2d 1322 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1976)
State v. DePue
524 P.2d 562 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1974)
State v. Dyer
514 P.2d 363 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
514 P.2d 363, 16 Or. App. 247, 1973 Ore. App. LEXIS 694, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-dyer-orctapp-1973.