Title: State v. Harris

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

348 So. 2d 283 (1977)
STATE of Florida, Petitioner,
v.
Marvin HARRIS, Respondent.
No. 49743.

Supreme Court of Florida.
March 17, 1977.
Rehearing Denied July 29, 1977.
Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., and Richard W. Prospect, Asst. Atty. Gen., for petitioner.
Bartley K. Vickers, of Mahon, Farley & Vickers, Jacksonville, for respondent.
KARL, Justice.
We have for review by petition for writ of certiorari granted the decision of the District Court of Appeal, First District, in Harris v. State, reported at 334 So. 2d 316 (Fla. 1st DCA, 1976), which directly conflicts with State v. Fitzpatrick, 294 So. 2d 708 (Fla. 4th DCA, 1974). We have jurisdiction pursuant to Article V, Section 3(b)(3), Florida Constitution.
The decision for review holds that, to charge the crime of manslaughter under Section 860.01(2), Florida Statutes, the charging document must use the specific statutory words and allege that the death of a human being was caused by the operation of a motor vehicle by defendant "while intoxicated." The decision in conflict, State v. Fitzpatrick, supra, concludes that "being under the influence of intoxicating liquor to the extent that one's normal faculties are impaired, or so as to deprive one of full possession of his normal faculties" is equivalent to "being intoxicated." We agree with the District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, and hold that the equivalent language is sufficient for use in the information.
Respondent was charged in a two-count information with the offenses of manslaughter by culpable negligence in violation of Section 782.07, Florida Statutes, and manslaughter by intoxication in violation of Section 860.01(2), Florida Statutes. At the conclusion of the State's case, the trial court granted a motion for directed verdict of acquittal as to the charge of manslaughter by culpable negligence. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter by intoxication and respondent was convicted on this charge.
The second count of the information charged respondent with the crime of manslaughter by intoxication, as follows:
On appeal, the District Court of Appeal, First District, determined that the information failed to charge the crime of manslaughter by intoxication and ordered the judgment of conviction reversed and respondent discharged.
Examining and interpreting three Florida decisions which it concluded were relevant to the disposition of the issue of sufficiency of the subject information to charge a crime.[1] The District Court determined that to charge the crime of manslaughter under Section 860.01(2), Florida Statutes, the charging document must allege that the death of a human being was caused by the operation of a motor vehicle by defendant "while intoxicated."
Taking a contrary position to that expressed by the First District Court of Appeal in the instant cause, although relying on the same decisional precedent, the District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, in State v. Fitzpatrick, supra, explained,
Therein, the information charged appellee with being intoxicated or under the influence of intoxicating liquors to such an extent as to deprive him of full possession of his normal faculties causing the death of a human being.
Section 860.01(2), Florida Statutes, provides:
Interpreting similar statutory language to that in question sub judice, this Court, in the early decision of Cannon v. State, 91 Fla. 214, 107 So. 360 (1926), opined:
This Court in Taylor v. State, 46 So. 2d 725 (Fla. 1950) explained that the term "intoxicated" is stronger and includes the term, "under the influence of intoxicating liquors," reemphasized in Smith v. State, 65 So. 2d 303 (Fla. 1953), that "intoxication" and "being under the influence of intoxicating liquors" are different terms and do not mean the same thing.
The District Court of Appeal in Clowney v. State, 97 So. 2d 316 (Fla. 2d DCA, 1957), certiorari discharged, 102 So. 2d 619 (Fla. 1958), discussed a difference between use of the terminology "under the influence of intoxicating beverages" and "under the influence of intoxicating liquor to such an extent as to deprive one of the normal control of one's body or mental faculties or both" and found the latter to be synonymous with the term "intoxicated." Therein, the District Court declared:
In its opinion discharging the writ of certiorari in Clowney v. State, supra, this Court approved the rationale of the District Court. Referring to the earlier decisions of Cannon, supra, Taylor, and Smith, supra, this Court said:
We adhere to the early precedent established by this Court and agree with the interpretation given thereto by the District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, in State v. Fitzpatrick, supra. Cf. Ingram v. Pettit et al., 340 So. 2d 922 (Fla. 1976).
Under the circumstances presented in the instant cause, we find that the language in the subject information "while under the influence of intoxicating liquors to such an extent that he was deprived of his normal faculties" was sufficient to charge appellee with violation of Section 860.01, Florida Statutes.[2]
*287 Accordingly, the decision of the District Court of Appeal, First District, is quashed and the cause is remanded for further proceedings consistent herewith.
It is so ordered.
OVERTON, C.J., and ADKINS, BOYD, ENGLAND and SUNDBERG, JJ., concur.
[1]  Cannon v. State, 91 Fla. 214, 107 So. 360 (1926); Clowney v. State, 97 So. 2d 316 (Fla. 2nd DCA, 1957); and Clowney v. State, 102 So. 2d 619 (Fla. 1958).
[2]  Sub judice the trial judge properly used the approved standard jury instruction which includes the following definition:

"`Intoxication' means more than merely being under the influence of intoxicating liquor. As used in these charges, intoxication means that the defendant must have been so affected from the drinking of intoxicating liquor as to have lost or been deprived of the normal control of either his body or his mental faculties, or both. Intoxication is synonymous with `drunk.'"