State v. Holt

156 N.W.2d 884, 261 Iowa 1089, 1968 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 808
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedMarch 5, 1968
Docket52734
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 156 N.W.2d 884 (State v. Holt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Holt, 156 N.W.2d 884, 261 Iowa 1089, 1968 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 808 (iowa 1968).

Opinion

SNELL, Justice.

Defendant was arrested, indicted, tried, convicted and sentenced for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He has appealed.

Defendant filed a demurrer, application to take depositions of the State’s witnesses, motion in limine, motion to suppress, motions for directed verdict, motion for new trial and motion in arrest of judgment. They were respectively overruled.

During the evening of December 14, 1966 defendant was driving his car on the public highway in Henry County. He was observed and followed by a highway patrolman. According to the patrolman defendant’s car was weaving all over the road. The officer stopped defendant’s car, asked the defendant how much he had had to drink and asked him to get out of his car. The officer testified that defendant was unstable and did poorly walking toe to heel.

Defendant was arrested, advised of his constitutional rights and taken to the Mt. Pleasant police station. Defendant was again advised of his constitutional rights. He was asked to and undertook certain coordination tests. Several witnesses testified that he did poorly. There was testimony that his eyes were bloodshot, his movements uncoordinated, his speech slurred and that he answered questions ambiguously. Several witnesses testified that in their opinion he was intoxicated.

The provisions of the Iowa Implied Consent Law were read to defendant in 'the police station. Defendant refused to take either the blood test or give a urine specimen and refused to sign the Implied Consent Waiver.

There was testimony by a doctor who had been called to take a blood specimen, if one was to be taken, and a city policeman that they overheard defendant tell the lady who was with him why he would not take a blood test. The doctor testified:

“A. At any rate, he stated he did not take a blood test because he drank enough every day so that he couldn’t pass a blood test anyway.
“Q. Was this said in your presence? A. This was said in my presence. I was rather surprised because I wasn’t questioning him; I was getting ready to leave.
“Q. Did you observe to whom he was addressing his remarks? A. Yes, it was to this lady who came down to either take him home or provide bail — he was giving her instructions, also, as to whom to contact for bail, and so forth.”

The testimony relative to a blood test was brought out by the State’s witness and by defendant’s own testimony. Defendant testified in his own behalf. Relative to the blood test he said:

“The officer offered me a blood test. I hate' needles and I have been stuck with them on many occasions. When I was in the hospital they gave me hypos. Blood was all they give me. They asked me to take a urine test. I couldn’t urinate at that time. * * *
“I did refuse to take either the blood test or urine test at the station. I never was asked if I was intoxicated. Certainly I knew I was suspected of being intoxicated.”

Defendant denied intoxication, denied making the statements claimed to have been overheard, and offered evidence that his uncoordinated walk was due to a previous leg injury. He offered evidence that the weaving motion of his car on the road was due to a detective steering mechanism.

I. The evidence of intoxication was in conflict.

*886 It is not for us to pass on the weight and credit of the testimony nor to say which versions and stories should be believed. These matters were for the jury. There was ample evidence in behalf of the State to present a jury question and ample evidence to support the jury verdict. Further discussion of the evidence is unnecessary.

II. The real issues here relate to admission of testimony as to defendant’s refusal to submit to a chemical test for intoxication and the court’s instructions relative thereto. Defendant objected throughout the trial and now argues that any mention of his refusal to submit to a chemical test for intoxication violated his rights under the Sth Amendment to the United States Consitution providing that no person “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.” Malloy v. Hogan, 378 U.S. 1, 84 S.Ct. 1489, 12 L.Ed.2d 653 holds that the Fourteenth Amendment makes the Fifth Amendment applicable to state court procedures.

Defendant’s claims of error were made at every opportunity and are now argued in several divisions but they all relate to the same general proposition.

There is no claim in this case that defendant was not promptly and fully advised of his constitutional rights. He was not subjected to any interrogation. He testified, “I never was asked if I was intoxicated.” He was asked if he would take certain tests. Some he did and some he refused. The provisions of the Iowa Implied Consent Law were called to his attention. There is no claim that he was uninformed or failed to understand.

For over 100 years it has been the law of Iowa that it is proper to show a defendant’s conduct, demeanor, voluntary statements and attitude toward the crime, if there was one. See cases reviewed in State v. Benson, 230 Iowa 1168, 300 N.W. 275.

There have been times in our law when it was permissible for a prosecutor to comment to the jury on a defendant’s failure to testify. In earlier periods, and now, such is not the case.

In State v. Benson, supra, defendant was accused of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. It was suggested that he go to the hospital and take physical treatment and a blood test. He refused. The question on appeal was whether the admission of evidence relative thereto constituted a denial of a constitutional protection against self incrimination. The evidence was held admissible.

When the Benson case was decided it was permissible for a prosecutor to comment on the defendant’s failure to testify. Such is no longer the law. See Griffin v. State of California, infra. However, the comment in Benson, loc. cit., 230 Iowa 1171, 300 N.W. 277, is pertinent:

“Of course, when one is accused of a crime, he does not have to reply to the accusation. But if he declines to reply, his act of silence may be shown to the jury. We are of the opinion that the situation now before us is analogous. The request for a blood test did no more than inferentially accuse the defendant of intoxication. His refusal to submit is similar to a refusal to speak. The jury was told that he did not have to submit. The refusal was merely a circumstance to be considered. The court was right.”

Where constitutional requirements as to warning, etc. have been met as in the case before us there is a difference between’ showing what defendant did and said when arrested and comment to a trial jury on failure to testify.

In 1963 our legislature in a declaration of public policy enacted what is named therein as the “Uniform Chemical Test for Intoxication Act.” See Laws of the 60th General Assembly, chapter 114. This law commonly referred to as our “Implied Consent Law” now appéars as chapter 321B of our Code.

*887

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State of Iowa v. Levi Gibbs III
Supreme Court of Iowa, 2020
State of Iowa v. Dale Dean Pettijohn Jr.
899 N.W.2d 1 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 2017)
State v. Fish
893 P.2d 1023 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1995)
State v. Jirak
491 N.W.2d 794 (Court of Appeals of Iowa, 1992)
Schrier v. State
347 N.W.2d 657 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1984)
State v. Pagach
442 So. 2d 331 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1983)
State v. Neville
312 N.W.2d 723 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1981)
State v. Jackson
637 P.2d 1 (Montana Supreme Court, 1981)
Hill v. State
366 So. 2d 318 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1979)
People v. Thomas
385 N.E.2d 584 (New York Court of Appeals, 1978)
Hill v. State
366 So. 2d 296 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1978)
State v. Vietor
261 N.W.2d 828 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1978)
State v. Young
232 N.W.2d 535 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1975)
State v. Johnson
219 N.W.2d 690 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1974)
State v. Canada
212 N.W.2d 430 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1973)
State v. Andrews
212 N.W.2d 863 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1973)
State v. Tiernan
206 N.W.2d 898 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1973)
State v. Meints
202 N.W.2d 202 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1972)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
156 N.W.2d 884, 261 Iowa 1089, 1968 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 808, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-holt-iowa-1968.