Opinion ID: 1174625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Refusal to Direct a Verdict.

Text: As his second point on appeal, defendant argues that the trial court erred in denying defendant's motion for directed verdict on the issue of defendant's capacity to commit first-degree murder. Defendant also argues that the evidence of deliberate intent to kill is insufficient to support his conviction. We disagree. Upon a review of the record, it is clear that there was conflicting evidence presented on the issue of defendant's sanity and ability to form the intent for first-degree murder. Two psychologists testified at a pretrial hearing that defendant was suffering from a brief psychotic episode at the time of the killing, but that his condition was of short duration. A person is not deemed legally insane unless his mental disorder is longstanding. See State v. White, 58 N.M. 324, 270 P.2d 727 (1954). The State's psychologist also testified that despite the fact that defendant was suffering from a psychotic episode at the time of the killing, defendant may still have been aware of what his actions were and the consequences of those actions. Further, there was lay testimony presented to the trial court that defendant appeared normal and calm both before and after the killing. The trial court found that the evidence of defendant's sanity at the time of the killing was sufficiently conflicting to go to the jury. Only where the trial court has clearly abused its discretion in allowing a case to go to the jury will this Court reverse on appeal. State v. Dorsey, 93 N.M. 607, 603 P.2d 717 (1979). There was no such abuse of discretion in the instant case, and the trial court's denial of defendant's motion for directed verdict was proper.