State v. Sage

510 N.E.2d 343, 31 Ohio St. 3d 173, 31 Ohio B. 375, 1987 Ohio LEXIS 313
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 8, 1987
DocketNo. 86-1047
StatusPublished
Cited by1,954 cases

This text of 510 N.E.2d 343 (State v. Sage) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio 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. Sage, 510 N.E.2d 343, 31 Ohio St. 3d 173, 31 Ohio B. 375, 1987 Ohio LEXIS 313 (Ohio 1987).

Opinions

Alice Robie Resnick, J.

Several issues are presented for review by the appeal and cross-appeal, each of which will be addressed in turn. For the reasons set forth below, we reverse in part and affirm in part the judgment of the court of appeals and reinstate the judgment of the trial court.

I

The first issue presented by the state’s appeal is whether an instruction on a lesser included offense should have been given by the trial court. Under Ohio law, a defendant may be convicted of a lesser included offense “* * * if lesser offenses are included within the offense charged * * Crim. R. 31(C). See, also, R.C. 2945.74. However, this does not imply that a court is required to instruct on lesser offenses simply because they are included in the charged offense. State v. Wilkins (1980), 64 Ohio St. 2d 382, 387, 18 O.O. 3d 528, 531, 415 N.E. 2d 303, 307.

Over the years, this court has refined the rule governing when a trial [176]*176court is required to instruct on lesser included offenses. In State v. Loudermill (1965), 2 Ohio St. 2d 79, 31 O.O. 2d 60, 206 N.E. 2d 198, syllabus, it was held that “[w]here the evidence in a criminal case would support a finding by the jury of guilt of a lesser offense included in the offense for which defendant was indicted and tried, the refusal of the trial court to charge upon that lesser included offense is error prejudicial to the rights of defendant.” (Citations omitted.) This rule was further examined in State v. Nolton (1969), 19 Ohio St. 2d 133, 48 O.O. 2d 119, 249 N.E. 2d 797. In that case, the court observed that “* * * it is obvious that proof which will support a conviction for the principal offense will invariably support a conviction on the lesser.” Id. at 134, 48 O.O. 2d at 120, 249 N.E. 2d at 798. Hence, a more utilitarian rule was advanced. Accordingly, the Nolton court reasoned that “[i]f the evidence adduced on behalf of the defense is such that if accepted by the trier it would constitute a complete defense to all substantive elements of the crime charged, the trier will not be permitted to consider a lesser included offense for the reason that an unreasonable compromise would be invited on the state’s evidence:

“On the contrary, if the trier could reasonably find against the state and for the accused upon one or more of the elements of the crime charged and for the state and against the accused on the remaining elements, which by themselves would sustain a conviction upon a lesser included offense, then a charge on the lesser included offense is both warranted and required, not only for the benefit of the state but for the benefit of the accused.” (Emphasis sic.) Id. at 135, 48 O.O. 2d at 120, 249 N.E. 2d at 798.

In Wilkins, supra, the court clarified its pronouncement in Nolton, supra, stating:

“If the evidence adduced on behalf of the defense is such that if accepted by the trier of fact it would constitute a complete defense to all substantive elements of the crime charged, the trier of fact will not be permitted to consider a lesser included offense unless the trier of fact could reasonably find against the state and for the accused upon one or more of the elements of the crime charged, and for the state and against the accused on the remaining elements, which, by themselves, would sustain a conviction upon a lesser included offense.
“The persuasiveness of the evidence regarding the lesser included offense is irrelevant. If under any reasonable view of the evidence it is possible for the trier of fact to find the defendant not guilty of the greater offense and guilty of the lesser offense, the instruction on the lesser included offense must be given. The evidence must be considered in the light most favorable to defendant.” Id. at 388, 18 O.O. 3d at 532, 415 N.E. 2d 308.

Resolution of the present issue involves an analysis of whether any offense is committed under Ohio law as a result of a death occurring during the execution of a mutual suicide pact. Appellee moved for an instruction pn the lesser included offense of involuntary manslaughter based upon either assault or aggravated menacing. The trial court overruled the mo[177]*177tion and only instructed on aggravated murder with prior calculation and design.

It is not a crime under Ohio law to attempt or commit suicide. Appellee contends that a mutual suicide pact existed between himself and decedent. Further, it is the defense’s contention that by providing decedent with the means to commit suicide he could possibly be guilty of assault (or aggravated menacing). Thus, the charge on involuntary manslaughter based on a misdemeanor would be an appropriate instruction. The question, therefore, arises as to whether a surviving participant of a mutual suicide pact, who provides the means of death to the decedent, is guilty of a criminal offense under existing Ohio law. We conclude that he is not.

At common law, suicide was a felony punishable by forfeiture of property and an ignominious burial. Also at common law, one who aided, advised or abetted a suicide was guilty of murder. In re Joseph G. (1983), 34 Cal. 3d 429, 434, 194 Cal. Rptr. 163, 166, 667 P. 2d 1176, 1179. Although suicide was considered a criminal act at common law, most jurisdictions do not affix a criminal penalty to suicide today.2 Some jurisdictions, however, have enacted legislation making aiding and abetting suicide a separate crime.3 Thus, depending upon a particular state’s statutory procedure, [178]*178such act is prosecuted as either murder or an independent offense of aiding and abetting a suicide. The Ohio Legislature has not enacted a statute which makes aiding and abetting suicide a crime in Ohio.

In discussing mutual suicide pacts, the California Supreme Court has stated in In re Joseph G., supra, 34 Cal. 3d at 437, 194 Cal Rptr. at 168, 667 P. 2d at 1181:

“The mutual suicide pact situation, however, represents something of a hybrid between the attempted suicide and the aiding suicide scenarios. In essence, it is actually a double attempted suicide, and therefore the rationale for not punishing those who attempt suicide would seem to apply. ‘Although there may have been aiding and abetting involved in the suicide pact, the survivor is distinguishable from a nonsuicide pact aider and abettor in the sense that he was also a potential victim.’ (Id. [14 Vill. L. Rev.] at p. 480.) ‘Suicides in pursuance of a pact are merely cases of double or multiple suicides. There can be no more justification for punishing an attempted double suicide than for punishing an attempted individual suicide. As in the case of an attempt at individual suicide, punishing the survivor of a genuine pact can serve no deterrent purpose, may hinder medical treatment, and is merely useless cruelty. * * *’ ’’(Footnote omitted.)

Suicide is not a crime in California, but assisting a suicide is. California has created a sui generis crime of aiding and abetting suicide. The Supreme Court of California in In re Joseph G., supra, 34 Cal. 3d at 438, 194 Cal Rptr. at 168, 667 P.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
510 N.E.2d 343, 31 Ohio St. 3d 173, 31 Ohio B. 375, 1987 Ohio LEXIS 313, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-sage-ohio-1987.