Opinion ID: 699623
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Voluntary Intoxication Evidence

Text: 18 Defendant Oliver takes issue with the district court's refusal to allow evidence of his voluntary intoxication. We review the exclusion of evidence for abuse of discretion. United States v. Rahm, 993 F.2d 1405, 1410 (9th Cir.1993). 19 As the district court correctly concluded, carjacking is a general intent crime, Martinez, 49 F.3d at 1401, and voluntary intoxication is not a defense to general intent crimes, see, e.g., United States v. Sneezer, 983 F.2d 920, 922 (9th Cir.1992) (voluntary intoxication may be a defense to a specific intent crime, but is not a defense to a general intent crime). Nevertheless, Oliver argues that United States v. Hartfield, 513 F.2d 254 (9th Cir.1975), requires that he be allowed to present the evidence. In Hartfield, we held that evidence of drug intoxication was admissible because it related to the defendant's sanity during the time of the offense. Id. at 259-60. 20 Hartfield is not applicable to this case. First, Oliver did not present an insanity defense. Moreover, unlike the proffered testimony in Hartfield, Oliver's testimony would only show that he drank heavily on the day of the carjacking. This would not necessarily show that Oliver was incapable of committing the crime charged or appreciating the wrongfulness of his acts. Accordingly, we find no abuse of discretion in the district court's refusal to allow evidence of Oliver's voluntary intoxication.