Title: Gray v. State

State: mississippi

Issuer: Mississippi Supreme Court

Document:

427 So. 2d 1363 (1983) Buzel GRAY, Jr. v. STATE of Mississippi. No. 53525. Supreme Court of Mississippi. January 14, 1983. Rehearing Denied March 30, 1983. *1364 Lee Calvin Buckley, Holly Springs, for appellant. Bill Allain, Atty. Gen. by Carolyn B. Mills, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., Jackson, for appellee. En Banc. ROY NOBLE LEE, Justice, for the Court: Buzel Gray, Jr. was indicted, tried and convicted in the Circuit Court of Union County, Honorable W.W. Brown, presiding, on a charge of aggravated assault and was sentenced to a term of twelve (12) years in custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with four (4) years suspended. Gray has appealed and assigns nine (9) errors in the trial below. On February 1, 1981, Sammy Owens and family, comprised of Mrs. Barbara Owens, his wife, and Suzanne and Jody, their children, were en route to church at approximately 6:00 p.m. They were traveling south on Mississippi Highway 15, which was a two-lane highway, at approximately 35 miles per hour. Rain had been falling, and darkness was approaching. As they passed Daniels High School, a northbound automobile driven by appellant suddenly crossed the centerline and hit the Owens car headon. Mr. Owens attempted to pull right and did everything he could to avoid the collision, but was unable to prevent it. Mrs. Owens sustained injuries consisting of three front teeth knocked out, two broken bones in the right ankle, broken nose, broken jawbone and lacerations of the head. Suzanne Owens was in a coma upon arrival at the hospital and indicated signs of brain damage. The attending physician did not think she would survive the injuries. However, she improved and has recovered to a large extent, except that she still has brain damage which results in double vision. According to Curtis Robbins, he was following the Owens vehicle by approximately three (3) car lengths, and he witnessed the collision. His testimony corroborated that of Owens to the effect that appellant's vehicle crossed the centerline and struck the Owens vehicle in its proper lane of traffic. Dwight Wood testified that he was driving south on Highway 15 a short distance ahead of Owens, that he met appellant and had to swerve off the west edge of the highway in order to prevent being struck by appellant's automobile, which was proceeding north in Wood's lane of traffic. R.W. Davis, a New Albany police officer, responded to the accident, and, upon arrival at the scene, found the appellant's automobile across the centerline with the front portion in the southbound lane. The Owens vehicle was partially off the highway with the front end still on the pavement. Appellant was leaning against the passenger side of his automobile holding to the top and Officer Davis could smell alcohol on and *1365 around him. Appellant said that he had been drinking beer. He was taken to the hospital where a cut was sutured. Dr. James Thornton smelled alcohol on him and noted that he was "poorly coordinated." An intoxilizer test was administered to appellant and indicated that his blood alcohol level was .20%. Did the lower court err in overruling a demurrer to the indictment? Appellant contends that the indictment for aggravated assault was fatal because it failed to charge an offense under, and as contemplated by, Mississippi Code Annotated & 97-3-7(2) (Supp. 1981). That section provides: The only other statute[1] which pertains to recklessly or culpably negligently operating a motor vehicle is the reckless driving statute, Mississippi Code Annotated § 63-3-1201 (1972), which follows: The reckless driving statute and the aggravated assault statute are separate violations. The reckless driving statute makes it an offense to drive any vehicle in a manner which indicates a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons and does not provide a penalty (violation) for injury inflicted upon a person. It is separate and distinct from the aggravated assault statute which provides for an attempt to cause serious bodily injury or causes such injury. The indictment in the present case charged: Although indictments have been returned for aggravated assault under our statute, this is the first case for decision as to whether or not the statute is violated by the use of an automobile. Other jurisdictions, with similar statutes, hold that aggravated assault statutes may be violated by the reckless or wanton operation of a motor vehicle which results in injury to a person. In Blott v. State, 588 S.W.2d 588 (Tex. Crim. App. 1979), Blott was charged with aggravated assault in that he recklessly was driving over the speed limit on the wrong side of the road, which resulted in injury to other persons. The proof sustained the charge in the indictment and further indicated that persons who assisted the appellant at the time of the accident smelled the strong odor of alcohol about his person. *1366 The Texas court, in affirming the conviction for aggravated assault, said there was sufficient evidence from which a reasonable jury could have found that appellant's conduct was of the type denounced by Texas's aggravated assault statute. In Harmon v. State, 260 Ark. 665, 543 S.W.2d 43 (1976), the appellant was prosecuted for driving his automobile in such manner that it left the road, entered a three-foot-deep ditch and struck a 13-year-old boy who was playing in the ditch, resulting in a fractured leg, fractured toe and bruises to the child. The pertinent part of the Arkansas aggravated assault statute provides: "(d) he recklessly causes serious physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon." Ark.Stat.Ann. § 41-1602(1)(d). The appellant contended that the provisions of the statute are patently vague and overbroad, resulting in inadequate guidance to the person prosecuted, and insufficient guidance to a jury for application of the law to the facts. The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected that contention and affirmed the conviction. The court noted that witnesses smelled the odor of alcohol on appellant immediately after the accident and the arresting officer testified that appellant "was in a kind of a stupor at the time of his arrest after he had left the scene." The Arkansas aggravated assault statute defined a "deadly weapon" as follows: Subsection (a) of Mississippi Code Annotated § 97-3-7(2) (Supp. 1981) does not define or limit the means by which a person causes, or attempts to cause, injury to another, and, in our opinion, is not as restrictive as statutes of some other jurisdictions. Lott v. State, 92 Okl.Cr. 324, 223 P.2d 147 (1950) involved consideration by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals of facts involved in an automobile collision as applied to the Oklahoma aggravated assault statute. That statute, 1870 O.S. 1931, Tit. 21 O.S.A. § 645, provided that every person who, with the intent to do bodily harm, and without justifiable or excusable cause, commits any assault upon the person of another with any sharp or dangerous weapon, or who without such cause, shoots or attempts to shoot another with any kind of firearm or air gun or other means whatever, with intent to injure any person although without intent to kill such person, or to commit any felony, is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary not exceeding five (5) years, or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one (1) year. The undisputed facts of the case disclose that appellant drove his vehicle along the main street in the City of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, at a high and reckless rate of speed and that he collided with another vehicle resulting in serious injuries to several persons. The evidence also was conclusive that the appellant was drunk at the time. There was no evidence that appellant had an actual and conscious intent to collide his vehicle with the other automobile. The Court, citing Lamb v. State, 70 Okl.Cr. 236, 105 P.2d 799 (1940), said: The decision of the lower court was affirmed. The Mississippi culpable negligence statute, Mississippi Code Annotated § 97-3-47 (1972), states: *1367 The degree of negligence required to sustain a conviction under the above statute is equivalent to that required under the Mississippi aggravated assault statute. In Nelson v. State, 361 So. 2d 343 (Miss. 1978), Nelson pointed a pistol at a friend, thinking it to be unloaded. The pistol discharged and wounded the victim, Willie C. Green. In discussing culpable negligence as applied to the aggravated assault statute, the Court said: As far back as 1932, this Court discussed whether or not the assault and battery statute applied to injury as a result of culpable negligence. Woodward v. State, 164 Miss. 468, 144 So. 895 (1933). There, Woodward's truck was stopped in the middle of a rural road and an automobile driven by Brown attempted to pass around the truck and became stalled in a ditch. Mrs. Brown was standing outside the automobile when Woodward attempted to back up his truck and struck Mrs. Brown knocking her against the automobile and seriously injuring her. Woodward was indicted, the indictment charging that he did unlawfully and willfully commit an assault and battery on the person of Mrs. Corrinne Brown by then and there unlawfully and recklessly driving a motor vehicle against the person of the said Mrs. Corrinne Brown. The Court said: See also Yazzie v. State, 366 So. 2d 240 (Miss. 1979), where we held that the word "willful" is surplusage in an indictment for manslaughter by culpable negligence. We agree with the Oklahoma Court in Lott v. State, supra, where it said: We are of the opinion that the lower court correctly overruled the demurrer to the indictment. Did the lower court err in admitting the testimony of Dwight Wood concerning a separate and remote incident? Dwight Wood testified for the State that he was driving south on Highway 15; that he met the Thunderbird automobile, driven by appellant, approximately one-fourth (1/4) mile from the collision scene; and that he was required to drive off on the west side of the road in order to prevent a collision. He did not actually see the collision, but passed the scene a few minutes later and saw what had occurred. In Barrett v. Shirley, 231 Miss. 364, 95 So. 2d 471 (1957), the Court said: A witness may not testify to the speed and to the manner in which a vehicle was driven at a point distant or remote from the scene of a collision. However, where he has seen the conduct of such a driver and follows the automobile to the scene of the collision, arriving within a few minutes thereafter, and there has been no time for change in the manner of driving, his testimony has been held relevant and competent. Such was the situation in Baxter v. Rounsaville, 193 So. 2d 735 (Miss. 1967), where the witnesses were permitted to testify about the speed of an automobile one-quarter (1/4) mile from the accident and then followed such automobile to the scene. Testimony of Owens and Robbins indicated the manner of appellant's driving at the scene of the collision and for a distance south of the scene and the testimony of Woods showed the same one-fourth mile distance away from the scene and for a distance toward the scene. We are of the opinion that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in admitting the Woods testimony in evidence. Did the lower court err in refusing to grant appellant's motion for a directed verdict and request for a peremptory instruction of acquittal? Was the verdict of the jury contrary to the weight of the evidence? Did the lower court err in overruling appellant's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict? The appellant again argues that the State's case was presented on two theories: (1) that the conduct of appellant was intentional, (2) that the collision resulted from culpable negligence, and (3) that the evidence does not sustain the indictment. We are of the opinion that when all the evidence for the State is taken as true, together with inferences flowing therefrom, and all evidence of the defendant in conflict therewith is disregarded (appellant introduced no evidence except a meteorologist who testified as to the rainfall), such evidence is sufficient to present a guilt question for the jury, the motion for directed *1369 verdict, request for peremptory instruction and motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or new trial were properly denied. Warn v. State, 349 So. 2d 1055 (Miss. 1977). Did the lower court err in granting Instructions S-1A for the State, and in refusing Instructions D-2 and D-6 for the appellant? The instructions follow: Instruction S-1A stated the crime with which appellant was charged and then instructed the jury that, if it believed beyond reasonable doubt appellant drove his automobile in the manner enumerated in the instruction, and that, if the jury believed beyond reasonable doubt such manner of driving manifested extreme indifference to the value of human life, then the appellant should be found guilty. That instruction followed the proof introduced by the State in four (4) factual instances and correctly submitted the issues to the jury. Instruction D-2 required the jury to (1) establish the alleged acts which constitute the crime charged, and (2) define each of the acts on which it based the charged offense. The first element was stated in Instruction S-1A. The lower court properly did not attempt to define each of the four acts of negligence stated in the instruction and D-2 was correctly refused. Instruction D-6 attempted to have the court pick out one of the four facts in evidence and comment upon it and was correctly refused. *1370 Appellant relies upon Mabry v. State, 248 Miss. 149, 158 So. 2d 688 (1963) and Cutshall v. State, 191 Miss. 764, 4 So. 2d 289 (1941), in his contentions here. However, Mabry was reversed because the instruction there did not set out any of the facts constituting the crime but referred the jury to the indictment to determine from it whether or not Mabry was guilty of the charge. Cutshall simply stated the law, which is elemental to the effect that a person may not be convicted of manslaughter by culpable negligence just because he is intoxicated. The intoxication must be a proximate contributing cause to the collision. After a careful examination of all the instructions, including D-1 and D-4, given at the request of appellant, we are of the opinion that the jury was properly instructed in the case. Did the lower court err in refusing to grant a mistrial because of the improper argument of the district attorney? In his closing argument, the district attorney made statements to the effect that the State did not have a burden to prove appellant guilty beyond all reasonable doubt and every reasonable doubt. The district attorney evidently was attempting to draw a distinction between "beyond all reasonable doubt" and "beyond a doubt." In Edge v. State, 393 So. 2d 1337 (Miss. 1981), the county attorney told the jurors "The law does not require you to know this man is guilty. All you have to do is believe it beyond a reasonable doubt." [393 So. 2d at 1340]. This Court cited Clemons v. State, 320 So. 2d 368 (Miss. 1975), where some of the remarks were held to be reversible error. While district attorneys should be careful in making such a comparison because in the heat of trial and argument, they may easily put the court in error, we have considered the entire argument of the district attorney, and are of the opinion that the remarks do not constitute reversible error on the facts of this case. The judgment of the lower court is affirmed. AFFIRMED. PATTERSON, C.J., SUGG, P.J., and BROOM and PRATHER, JJ., concur. WALKER, P.J., and DAN M. LEE, HAWKINS and BOWLING, JJ., dissent. WALKER, Presiding Justice, dissenting: I feel compelled to dissent from the opinion of the majority which has the effect of changing what has heretofore been a traffic violation and/or civil matter into a felony, the conviction of which carries a possible twenty-year sentence to the penitentiary. In my opinion, it was never the intention of the legislature that our aggravated assault law (Mississippi Code Annotated section 97-3-7(2)) which became effective July 1, 1974 was to be applied to the negligent operation of a motor vehicle. The aggravated assault statute was designed to punish persons who inflict harm upon others by criminal means, such as with a deadly weapon or in some manner arising out of criminal violence. Criminal laws which are classified as felonies should be reserved for crimes "intentionally" committed and not to the reckless driving of an automobile which results in injury to another. It is inevitable that citizens of this State who are dependent upon an automobile and who never intentionally did anything wrong in their lives or had a harmful thought toward their fellowman, will be trapped by this decision because of the alleged reckless operation of a motor vehicle as defined by the statute and put to the great expense of defending themselves in criminal court and possibly branded forever as a criminal. The little old lady who drives an automobile, the local grocer, members of the ministry, college students, and neighbors, none of whom have ever had a criminal thought will be subject to being charged under this decision with the felony of aggravated assault, when, on some occasion, they are driving too fast and are involved in an accident resulting in injury to some other person. *1371 Also, it is inevitable that some people licensed by the State to practice their professions will, upon conviction, have their license revoked for the reckless operation of a motor vehicle which results in injury to another. In addition, public officials who find themselves caught up in this decision and convicted will be removed from office. In my opinion, laws governing the operation of motor vehicles should be covered by special statutes with appropriate penalties, less than a felony. I am strongly in favor of stiff penalties and sanctions for driving while intoxicated. However, the aggravated assault statute does not require that a person be drinking in order to be charged under it. A person could be charged with aggravated assault under section 97-3-7(2) who has never taken a drink of intoxicants in his life. I respectfully hope that the legislature will amend the statute to make it clear that it does not apply to the operation of a motor vehicle. If that is not done, we will have a whole new breed of criminals created by the majority's interpretation of section 97-3-7 and unfortunately these persons will not be the ones who the legislature intended to punish. BOWLING and DAN M. LEE, JJ., join this dissent. DAN M. LEE, Justice, dissenting: I am unable to concur with the majority as to the refusal of instruction D-6 and therefore respectfully dissent. In Woodward v. State, 164 Miss. 468, 144 So. 895 (1932), involving an assault and battery conviction which arose out of the unlawful and reckless driving of a motor vehicle, this Court stated: The past decisions of this Court clearly dictate that although the driving of an automobile while intoxicated constitutes negligence per se, such negligence alone does not rise to a degree of culpable negligence so as to sustain a conviction of manslaughter. Roberts v. State, 379 So. 2d 514 (Miss. 1979); Gandy v. State, 373 So. 2d 1042 (Miss. 1979); Frazier v. State, 289 So. 2d 690 (Miss. 1974); and Cutshall v. State, 191 Miss. 764, 4 So. 2d 289 (1941). Perhaps it is best stated in Gant v. State, 244 So. 2d 18 (Miss. 1971), wherein this Court stated: We went on to say in Ruffin, supra: Appellant requested the following instruction which was refused by the trial court: In my opinion, this instruction was a clear statement of the law. The accident occurred on a slick highway during a heavy rainstorm and diminished visibility. Had appellant not been drinking, the case would have involved nothing more than simple negligence. However, because of appellant's intoxication, the case has been elevated to the criminal offense of aggravated assault and sentence of twelve years. The majority, by holding that this was properly refused, in effect overrules the previous decisions of this Court which hold that mere intoxication of a driver of an automobile at the time of an accident is not sufficient to sustain a conviction. Perhaps the majority should refrain from committing that most dreaded judicial sin called "judicial legislating" by reaching a strained interpretation of the aggravated assault statute, Mississippi Code Annotated section 97-3-7 (1972). This is particularly true in this case as the majority must overrule Cutshall, Gant, Frazier, Gandy, Roberts and Ramon v. State, [387 So. 2d 745 (Miss. 1980)], in order to reach the result it has. The state obtained the following instruction: After this instruction was granted the state, it became necessary to grant instruction D-6 in order that the jury could understand the difference between gross negligence and culpable negligence that amounted to willfulness. Culpable negligence is a lesser term than willful. Ramon, supra. The refusal of the proffered instruction allowed the jury to infer appellant's intent from the mere fact that he was intoxicated. In my opinion, this was error because it deprived appellant of his only defense. The case should be reversed and remanded for a new trial. HAWKINS, J., joins this dissent. HAWKINS, Justice, dissenting: I join the dissent of Justice Dan Lee that the circuit court erred in refusing instruction D-6, which should have been given in some form in light of the instructions granted the state. It is also my view the circuit court was in error in admitting the testimony of Dwight Wood. Wood did not see the accident, and the manner in which the defendant was driving a quarter of a mile from the scene may very well have had nothing to do with the way he was driving at the time of the accident, but its prejudice is beyond doubt. I am in full agreement with the majority that the aggravated assault statute was properly applicable to the facts of this case. [1] Where death does not result.