Case Name: Jeffrey JONES, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2005-10-25
Citations: 912 So. 2d 686
Docket Number: No. 1D03-5134
Parties: Jeffrey JONES, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: WEBSTER, J., concurs; BARFIELD, J., dissents with opinion.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 912
Pages: 686–690

Head Matter:
Jeffrey JONES, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 1D03-5134.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Oct. 25, 2005.
Nancy A. Daniels, Public Defender; and Jamie Spivey, Assistant Public Defender, Tallahassee, for Appellant.
Charlie Crist, Attorney General; and Alan R. Dakan, Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Appellee.

Opinion:
BROWNING, J.
In this direct criminal appeal, Appellant seeks reversal of his conviction for a violation of section 825.102(3)(c), Florida Statutes (2002), for willfully or by culpable negligence neglecting a disabled person without causing great bodily harm, permanent disfigurement, or permanent disability, arguing that the trial court erred by not granting his motion for judgment of acquittal. We agree and reverse.
The pertinent facts are not in dispute. Specifically, Appellant, a psychiatric technician, was charged for failing to monitor a patient on suicide watch every 15 minutes as ordered by the admitting psychiatrist for the crisis stabilization unit at Lakeview Center in Pensacola, Florida, Appellant's employer. Difficulties occurred because Appellant's shift was one psychiatric technician short, and Appellant was also responsible for continuously watching a patient housed in an unlocked room and deemed dangerous by the same admitting psychiatrist. Appellant could not physically implement both watch orders, and Appellant, who had no authority to change such orders, by necessity had to choose between the patients he was to watch. Appellant exercised his discretion and continuously watched the patient deemed dangerous, and while so doing, he was unable to physically check the other patient other than observe the door to her room from his station. During Appellant's shift, the unattended patient under the 15-minute watch order died of a heart attack; no contention is made that Appellant's failure to monitor in any way contributed to such heart attack. All of the testimony relating to Appellant's actions established that Appellant correctly implemented the admitting psychiatrist's orders by continuously watching the dangerous patient rather than the other patient. These facts impelled the trial court to enter a judgment of acquittal, and mandate reversal here.
This court applies a de novo standard of review in reviewing a motion for judgment of acquittal. See Jones v. State, 790 So.2d 1194 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001); see also Pagan v. State, 830 So.2d 792 (Fla.2002). This court will not reverse a conviction where it is supported by competent, substantial evidence. See Pagan, 830 So.2d at 803. Sufficient evidence exists to sustain a conviction if, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, a reasonable trier of fact could find the existence of the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. See id.; Banks v. State, 732 So.2d 1065 (Fla.1999).
Viewed in the light most favorable to the State, the evidence is insufficient to show that Appellant willfully or by culpable negligence neglected a disabled person as charged.
A willful act is defined in Black's Law Dictionary 1599 (6th ed.) as follows:
Proceeding from a conscious motion of the will; voluntary; knowingly; deliberate. Intending the result which actually comes to pass; designed; intentional; purposeful; not accidental or involuntary.
See also Arnold v. State, 755 So.2d 796 (Fla. 2nd DCA 2000).
It is clear that Appellant's actions do not meet this definition. He possessed no ill motive towards the deceased patient; he merely exercised his discretion to deal with the most exigent circumstance: watching the dangerous patient who was a threat to hospital personnel. Such conduct is not "willful" as required for a conviction under section 825.102(3)(c).
Nor was Appellant guilty of culpable negligence. "Culpable negligence" is that degree of negligence that is so egregious, and flagrant, it would support a charge of manslaughter in case of death. See Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Crim.) 7.7; see also Griffis v. State, 848 So.2d 422 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003). Appellant's conduct falls far short of meeting this high standard; Appellant was negligent, at most, and not culpably negligent. Accordingly, Appellant's conviction cannot be based on a culpable negligence determination.
Thus, we REVERSE Appellant's judgment and conviction and REMAND with instructions that he be discharged.
WEBSTER, J., concurs; BARFIELD, J., dissents with opinion.
Also, Appellant was convicted of falsifying the records of a person receiving mental health services in violation of section 394.4615(11), Florida Statutes, but that conviction is not appealed and stands.