Opinion ID: 2067933
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Events Leading to the Indictment

Text: [¶ 2] The basic facts of the case are not in dispute. The jury could reasonably have found the following facts, viewing them in a light most favorable to Holland. See State v. Nadeau, 2007 ME 57, ¶ 9 n. 1, 920 A.2d 452, 454 (stating that when determining whether there was evidence on each element of a competing harms defense sufficient to submit the defense to the fact-finder, we review the evidence in a light most favorable to the defendant). [¶ 3] Holland owned and lived in a small multi-unit building in Biddeford. Between Holland's property and a neighbor's home was a line of six poplar trees that, in 2005, were approximately sixty feet tall and encroached upon Holland's property. Holland and his neighbor had disputed, but not resolved, the location of their boundary line in relation to the poplar trees. Power lines to Holland's home run parallel to the line of poplars along Holland's side of the poplars. [¶ 4] On September 22, 2005, Holland cut four of the six trees, causing three of those four trees to fall over. One of the felled trees landed on his neighbor's car and destroyed it. The power lines running from the street to Holland's home were not damaged. [¶ 5] On September 26, 2005, the neighbor saw Holland standing next to the remaining two poplars holding a power saw, after which she discovered deep cuts to those two trees. A tree company took down the two damaged trees later that day. Holland did not dispute that he cut the trees, including the one that damaged the neighbor's car, asserting that he acted to avoid damage to his home and the power lines to his home. [¶ 6] Holland was indicted by the York County Grand Jury on one count of aggravated criminal mischief (Class C), 17-A M.R.S. § 805(1)(A) (2005), for intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly damaging his neighbor's car. [2]