State v. Korell

690 P.2d 992, 213 Mont. 316, 1984 Mont. LEXIS 1084
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 16, 1984
Docket83-410
StatusPublished
Cited by63 cases

This text of 690 P.2d 992 (State v. Korell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana 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. Korell, 690 P.2d 992, 213 Mont. 316, 1984 Mont. LEXIS 1084 (Mo. 1984).

Opinions

MR. CHIEF JUSTICE HASWELL

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Jerry Korell appeals the judgment of the Ravalli County District Court finding him guilty of attempted deliberate homicide and aggravated assault. Korell was sentenced to concurrent sentences of thirty-five and fifteen years at the Montana State Prison. Korell’s defense at trial was that he lacked the requisite criminal mental state by reason of his insanity. On appeal his primary contention is that the Montana statutory scheme deprived him of a constitutional right to raise insanity as an independent defense.

Jerry Korell is a Viet Nam veteran who had several disturbing experiences during his tour of duty. The exact nature of the trauma was never fully documented. Friends and family agree that he was a different person when he returned from the service. Between Korell’s honorable discharge in 1970 and the present events, he was twice admitted to VA hospitals for psychological problems and treated with anti-psychotic drugs. In 1976 he was jailed briefly in Boise, Idaho, for harassing and threatening the late Senator Frank Church.

The basic nature of Korell’s problems was that he would periodically slip into paranoid phases during which he had trouble relating to male authority figures. His mental health varied dramatically. In the poorer times his family entertained thoughts about having him civilly committed. His VA hospitalizations were voluntary and neither of the stays were of such length that he was fully evaluated or treated.

In 1980 Korell entered a community college program for echocardiology in Spokane, Washington. Echocardiology is [320]*320the skill associated with recording and interpreting sonograms of the heart for diagnostic purposes. In March 1982 he was sent to Missoula to serve a clinical externship at St. Patrick’s Hospital. Korell’s supervisor at the hospital was Greg Lockwood, the eventual victim of this crime.

Korell’s relationship with Lockwood deteriorated for a variety of work-related reasons. Foremost was Korell’s belief that he was worked excessively by Lockwood. At this time Korell was subjected to what expert testimony labeled psychological stressors: a divorce by his wife, financial problems and the pressures of graduation requirements.

In April 1982 Korell wrote a letter to the hospital administrator complaining about his supervisor, Lockwood. Korell was transferred to an externship in Spokane, and Lockwood was placed on probation. Both men retained very bitter feelings about the incident. Lockwood stated to friends he would see to it that Korell was never hired anywhere in echocardiology. Korell may have learned of Lockwood’s statements.

Korell’s actions in the next two months indicate a great deal of confusion. He set fire to a laundromat because he lost nine quarters in a machine and was tired of being ripped off. He set fire to a former home of his wife because she had bad feelings about it.

Released on bail from these incidents, he returned to Missoula in June 1982. Psychiatric testimony introduced at trial indicates that Korell felt he had to kill Lockwood before Lockwood killed him. He removed a handgun from a friend’s home, had another acquaintance purchase ammunition, and on the evening of June 25, 1982, drove to the Lockwood home in the Eagle Watch area of the Bitterroot Valley. Shirley Lockwood, Greg’s wife, saw the unfamiliar vehicle approach the house. Greg Lockwood was lying on the living room floor at the time watching television. Korell entered the house through a side door and began firing. Although wounded, Greg Lockwood managed to engage the defendant in a struggle. A shot was fired in the direction of [321]*321Lockwood’s wife. Korell grabbed a kitchen knife and both men were further injured before Lockwood was able to subdue Korell.

Korell was charged with attempted deliberate homicide and aggravated assault. The defendant gave notice of his intent to rely on a mental disease or defect to prove that he did not have the particular state of mind which is an essential element of the offense charged. Prior to trial he sought a writ of supervisory control declaring that he had a right to rely on the defense that he was suffering from a mental disease or defect at the time he committed the acts charged. The writ was denied by this court on December 20, 1982, and the case proceeded to trial.

Several psychologists and psychiatrists testified on Korell’s mental condition. The defense sought to establish by its expert witnesses and numerous character witnesses that Korell was a disturbed man who was psychotic at the time the crimes were committed. It was argued that his actions when he entered the Lockwood home were not voluntary acts. The State produced its own expert witnesses who testified on Korell’s mental condition. Four doctors testified in all, two for the prosecution and two for the defense. Three of the four stated Korell had the capacity to act knowingly or purposely, the requisite mental state for the offenses, when he entered the Lockwood home.

Without giving prior notice, the State produced Cedric Hames as a rebuttal witness who testified that he purchased ammunition for the defendant several days before the shooting. A motion for mistrial was made by the defense. The court denied the motion but offered the defense a continuance. The offer was refused by defendant’s counsel.

In keeping with Montana’s current law on mental disease or defect, the jury was instructed that they could consider mental disease or defect only insofar as it negated the defendant’s requisite state of mind. The jury returned guilty [322]*322verdicts for the attempted deliberate homicide and aggravated assault.

On appeal the defendant presents the following issues:

1. Is there a constitutional right to raise insanity as an independent defense to criminal charges?

2. Was the State’s rebuttal testimony of Cedric Hames properly admitted?

3. Was the jury properly instructed on the issue of voluntariness?

4. Did the District Court fail to consider defendant’s mental condition at sentencing?

5. Did the District Court act within its discretion in awarding fees to defendant’s court-appointed attorney?

I. CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE

A. Background

In 1979 the Forty-Sixth Session of the Legislature enacted House Bill 877. This Bill abolished use of the traditional insanity defense in Montana and substituted alternative procedures for considering a criminal defendant’s mental condition. Evidence of mental disease or defect is now considered at three phases of a criminal proceeding.

Before trial, evidence may be presented to show that the defendant is not fit to proceed to trial. Section 46-14-221, MCA. Anyone who is unable to understand the proceedings against him or assist in his defense may not be prosecuted. Section 46-14-103, MCA.

During trial, evidence of mental disease or defect is admissible when relevant to prove that, at the time of the offense charged, the defendant did not have the state of mind that is an element of the crime charged, e.g., that the defendant did not act purposely or knowingly. Section 46-14-102, MCA. The State retains the burden of proving each element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Bluebook (online)
690 P.2d 992, 213 Mont. 316, 1984 Mont. LEXIS 1084, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-korell-mont-1984.