Source: http://jec.unm.edu/education/online-training/stalking-tutorial/reasonable-person
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 20:58:55+00:00

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New Mexico's stalking and harassment statutes include a rather unique focus on the impact of the conduct on the victim. For example, under §30-3A-2 the pattern of harassment "must be such that it would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress." Similarly, §30-3A-3(A) contains language about the stalking actions causing "a reasonable person to feel frightened, intimidated or threatened" and as to intent that "alleged stalker must intend to cause a reasonable person to fear for his safety or the safety of a household member." Finally, under §30-3A-3.1 and Uniform Jury Instruction (UJI) 14-333, aggravated stalking is based upon finding stalking in at least one of four statutorily outlined situations so that the essential elements of stalking, including the reasonable person language contained in the stalking statute, would also apply to aggravated stalking.
As is true for the term "pattern of conduct," there is also no Uniform Jury Instruction or statute defining the term "reasonable person" in the context of stalking or harassment criminal offenses. Similarly, the limited New Mexico case law on these offenses does not address what is meant by "reasonable person." Thus, the question remains as to what constitutes a "reasonable person" in a stalking or harassment case.
State v. Williams, 2006-NMCA-062, ¶10; see also, State v. Rudolfo, 2008-NMSC-036, ¶17 (involving reasonableness in an assertion of self-defense); State v. Gutierrez, 2007-NMSC-033 (involving a reasonable suspicion to detain where there were multiple charges including aggravated stalking); State v. Walters, 1997-NMCA-013 (addressing reasonableness in a police-citizen encounter).

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