State v. Linzmeyer

79 N.W.2d 206, 248 Iowa 31, 1956 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 515
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedNovember 13, 1956
Docket48958
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 79 N.W.2d 206 (State v. Linzmeyer) 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. Linzmeyer, 79 N.W.2d 206, 248 Iowa 31, 1956 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 515 (iowa 1956).

Opinion

Peterson, J.

About 1:45 a.m. on August 7, 1955, Ann Hammer living at 3110 University Avenue, Des Moines, telephoned the police she heard an unusual noise across the street. Three police officers responded and on investigation they found the defendant standing inside the store of Thode Hardware & Sporting Goods Store, which is located at No. 3015 University Avenue. Upon arrival of the police, Linzmeyer put his hands up against the window and said “I give up.” The noise had been caused by defendant breaking the handle and latch on the inside of the front door with a hammer. Defendant had entered the store through the breaking of a window next to a driveway running on the west side of the building. Fifteen shotguns, valued at $2000, had been taken from their racks, and stacked by the front door. Linzmeyer was placed under arrest and taken to the police station where he was questioned by two other police officers. He admitted he had stolen a car, which was found in the driveway. Various articles were found in the ear, such as typewriter, camera, butcher knife, adding machine, car air conditioner, Florida license plate, a checkbook and stubs carrying name of Jack Nutt Rental Service, and other miscellaneous items. None of these articles had been taken from the Thode store. He was indicted by the Grand Jury for breaking and entering as defined in section 708.8, Code of Iowa 1954. He pleaded not gmilty. Upon trial to a jury he was convicted and the trial court sentenced him to ten years in the State Penitentiary at Fort Madison. He has appealed.

Appellant alleges two errors in connection with trial of the case: 1. The court did not properly instruct the jury as to question of intoxication, nor as to proof required on the part of defendant in connection with such plea. 2. The court erred in admitting testimony concerning the personal property articles found by the police in the car defendant had stolen, in view of absence of proof that the articles were stolen from the Thode store.

*34 I. Appellee contends at length appellant failed to preserve his record as to alleged Error No. 1, in that he failed to request an instruction as to his-theory concerning intoxication, and failed to take timely exception to Instruction No. 8. The question was raised in motion for new trial, and this was sufficient. Section 787.3(7), Code of 1954; State v. Holder, 237 Iowa 72, 20 N.W.2d 909; State v. Hartung, 239 Iowa 414, 424, 30 NW.2d 491, 497; State v. Ryerson, 247 Iowa 385, 73 N.W.2d 757. In State v. Hartung, supra, we said: “Neither did it require him to consent to the instructions as written. He still had the right, in motion for new trial, to urge exceptions to the instructions.”

II. As to alleged Error No. 1 appellant had no defense to the charge against him. He pleaded intoxication. Intoxication is not a denial of guilt. It is an excuse. The basis is lack of ability to form an intent. Consequently, simply being intoxicated is not sufficient. Defendant has the burden of proof of showing the intoxication was so complete that he was unable to form a criminal intent. State v. Yates, 132 Iowa 475, 109 N.W. 1005; State v. Harrison, 167 Iowa 334, 149 N.W. 452; State v. Crietello, 197 Iowa 772, 197 N.W. 902; State v. Patton, 206 Iowa 1347, 221 N.W. 952; State v. Johnson, 211 Iowa 874, 234 N.W. 263. On the question of fact as to intoxication, five police officers testified defendant was not intoxicated. Three of them had opportunity to observe his actions, conversation and walking at the time of arrest, and the other two talked to him afterwards at the station. Defendant offered the evidence of his former wife who saw him at six o’clock. She said he had been drinking. He also offered the evidence of three other witnesses who saw him about midnight, and who testified respectively he was: “pretty drunk,” “pretty well intoxicated” and “intoxicated.” The question, therefore, became a question of fact for the jury and was decided in favor of the State.

The specific error urged by appéllant is the court failed to say in the instruction the burden of proof as to intoxication rested on defendant. He contends the jury might assume defendant was obligated to prove intoxication beyond a reasonable doubt. We do not agree with this contention. The court did not specifically mention the burden of proof. It would have *35 been proper for the court to do so, but the general tenor of the instruction is eminently fair and not prejudicial to defendant. In substance the court instructed that intoxication in and of itself is not a defense, but is a circumstance to -be considered by the jury, together with all other evidence in the case, as to whether or not defendant at the time of the commission of the crime had sufficient mental capacity to entertain intent. He further states that if the jury found defendant was so completely under the influence of intoxicating liquor that he was incapable of knowing right from wrong, or could not entertain a specific criminal intent, they would not be justified in finding him guilty. However, if he was intoxicated but had sufficient control of his mental faculties to know right from wrong and entertain a specific criminal intent, his intoxication would be no defense, and the matter should be given no further consideration or weight.

The rules with reference to intoxication and its weight in criminal cases were clearly expressed in State v. Patton, supra, at page 1348 of 206 Iowa: “* * * intoxication alone does not necessarily amount to an excuse for the commission of a crime or misdemeanor, but becomes so only when the mental incapacity produced thereby is such as to make the victim incapable of forming a criminal intent. * * * Mental disability arising from the use of intoxicants is a matter of degree. Partial drunkenness does not make impossible the formation of said criminal object. Therefore, the 'intoxication' or 'drunkenness' must be to the extent that the designing or framing of such purpose is impossible. * * * Throughout the trial, the burden of proof is upon the State to show the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But when the defendant seeks to avoid responsibility for his act because of his intoxication, the burden is upon him to show, not that he was innocent, but that he was so affected thereby as to be unable to form a 'criminal intent.’ ”

In ease of State v. Johnson, supra, we said at pages 881, 882 of 211 Iowa, page 267 of 234 N.W.: “The defendant was not intoxicated at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, nor was he much later in the evening, if at all. Instructions requested by the defendant as to the effect of intoxication as a defense were properly refused. Each paragraph thereof gave too great em *36 phasis to the ability of the defendant to know or determine right from wrong. Partial drunkenness does not make impossible the formation of a criminal intent. To operate as a defense, the intoxication must be so great that'the defendant is unable to form a specific intent. State v. Patton [supra] and eases there cited. The instructions given by the court, of which the defendant complains, in effect so -advised the jury. The defense of drunkenness is available to the defendant only when the degree of intoxication is so great as to deprive him of the power to form a specific intent.”

III.

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Bluebook (online)
79 N.W.2d 206, 248 Iowa 31, 1956 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 515, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-linzmeyer-iowa-1956.