Opinion ID: 1693799
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Assault Causing Injury

Text: The defendant claims the trial court erred in denying his motion for a judgment of acquittal on the charge of assault causing bodily injury. He contends that since the jailer's pain or physical impairment could not have lasted for more than a few seconds there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that the jailer suffered a bodily injury. Review of a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence is on assigned error. State v. McPhillips, 580 N.W.2d 748, 753 (Iowa 1998). We view the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, but consider all the evidence, not just that which supports the verdict. See State v. Robinson, 288 N.W.2d 337, 340 (Iowa 1980). We will uphold a jury's verdict if it is supported by substantial evidence. McPhillips, 580 N.W.2d at 752. Evidence is substantial if it could convince a rational trier of fact the defendant is guilty of the crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. at 752-53. Assault causing bodily injury is defined in Iowa Code section 708 .2(2) which provides in relevant part: A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, without the intent to inflict a serious injury upon another, and who causes bodily injury or disabling mental illness, is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. We have defined bodily injury as physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. State v. Gordon, 560 N.W.2d 4, 6 (Iowa 1997); State v. McKee, 312 N.W.2d 907, 913 (Iowa 1981). In adopting the Model Penal Code definition of bodily injury we noted: Bodily injury ordinarily refers only to injury to the body, or to sickness or disease contracted by the injured as a result of injury. Injury includes an act that damages, harms, or hurts: an unjust or undeserved infliction of suffering or harm . . . hurt, damage, or loss sustained. . . . McKee, 312 N.W.2d at 913 (citations omitted). The evidence in this case revealed the defendant used his fist to strike the jailer in the chest, pushed him over a bench, and knocked the wind out of him. The defendant argues any pain, illness, or impairment of physical function sustained by the jailer could not have lasted for more than a few seconds since the jailer did not require medical treatment or have any visible injuries (e.g. cuts, scratches, or bruises). The defendant contends such a temporary, incidental discomfort could not have been the type of injury which the legislature would have deemed to be a bodily injury. Neither our prior cases nor the Model Penal Code appear to impose a temporal requirement which would require that a bodily injury last for a certain amount of time. The defendant clearly inflicted pain upon the jailer, and there was sufficient evidence to support the defendant's conviction for assault causing bodily injury.