Case Title: State v. Frechette

Citation: 161 Vt. 233, 637 A.2d 1080

Docket Number: 

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 1993-12-27T00:00:00Z

Document:
STATE_V_FRECHETTE.92-562; 161 Vt. 233; 637 A.2d 1080

[Filed 27-Dec-1993]

 NOTICE:  This opinion is subject to motions for reargument under V.R.A.P. 40
 as well as formal revision before publication in the Vermont Reports.
 Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Vermont Supreme
 Court, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05609-0801 of any errors in
 order that corrections may be made before this opinion goes to press.


                                 No. 92-652


 State of Vermont                             Supreme Court

                                              On Appeal from
      v.                                      District Court of Vermont,
                                              Unit No. 2, Chittenden Circuit

 Michael Frechette                            October Term, 1993


 Linda Levitt, J.

 Jeffrey L. Amestoy, Attorney General, and David Tartter, Assistant Attorney
   General, Montpelier, for plaintiff-appellant

 Robert H. Anderson, Colchester, for defendant-appellee


 PRESENT:  Allen, C.J., Gibson, Dooley, Morse and Johnson, JJ.


      ALLEN, C.J.   The State of Vermont appeals the district court's
 dismissal of an information filed against defendant Michael Frechette for
 alleged violations of 13 V.S.A. {{ 2102, 2143(a).  We affirm.
      Defendant is a director of the Regular Veterans Association Post #1,
 Inc. (RVA), a not-for-profit organization.  He operated bingo nights for the
 RVA on three separate occasions in November 1992, and paid non-members to
 assist in running the games.  Games of chance are permitted under 13 V.S.A.
 { 2143(a), which provides an exception to the general prohibition against
 gambling in Vermont established in { 2102. (FN1) Section 2143(a) reads, in

 

 relevant part:  "Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a nonprofit
 organization may organize and execute, and an individual may participate in,
 lotteries, raffles or other games of chance for the purpose of raising funds
 to be used in charitable undertakings."  13 V.S.A. { 2143(a).  Intentional
 violation of { 2143(a) carries a mandatory criminal fine of up to $500, id.
 { 2143(e)(1), in addition to the criminal penalties established in { 2102.
 Defendant was charged with six counts of illegal gambling in violation of 13
 V.S.A. {{ 2102 and 2143(a).
      According to the State, the RVA exceeded the scope of its power to
 "organize and execute" under { 2143(a) by paying non-members for their
 assistance in operating the bingo games.  Defendant moved to dismiss the
 charges, and the district court granted the motion.  The court held
 { 2143(a) void for vagueness because the statute does not adequately
 distinguish between permissible and impermissible overhead expenses
 associated with the running of games by nonprofit organizations for charity.
 The court postponed entry of judgment pending this appeal.
      At issue is whether { 2143(a) prohibits a nonprofit organization from
 paying non-member employees to assist in running bingo operations.  As a
 penal statute, { 2143(a) must be interpreted in a manner most favorable to
 the accused, but not so strictly as to defeat the legislative purpose in
 enacting the law or to produce absurd consequences.  See State v. Sidway,
 139 Vt. 480, 484,