Opinion ID: 900573
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 34

Heading: Torture definition.

Text: [¶ 112.] Moeller next claims that the definition of torture (Instruction No. 7) does not meet the narrowing requirements of Godfrey, 446 U.S. at 428, 100 S.Ct. at 1764-65, 64 L.Ed.2d at 406, because nearly all murders, except those involving instantaneous death or unconsciousness, would meet the trial court's definition. [¶ 113.] Jury instruction number 7 defining torture provided: INSTRUCTION NO. 7 The jury is instructed that in order to find that this murder involved torture, you must find, that while the victim was still alive and conscious, the defendant intentionally inflicted severe, unnecessary, physical or mental pain, agony, or anguish, upon her. This could include the victim's severe mental anguish in anticipation of serious physical harm. Unnecessary pain, agony or anguish requires suffering on the part of the victim, in excess of what was required to accomplish the murder, so it does not include any physical or mental pain, agony or anguish which reasonably resulted from the victim's death or her brief anticipation of death. Acts committed after the victim's death or while she was no longer conscious, may not be considered in determining whether torture was involved. [¶ 114.] In Rhines, we considered and approved an instruction on torture substantially identical to the one presented here. There the instruction stated: Torture occurs when a living person is subjected to the unnecessary and wanton infliction of severe physical or mental pain, agony, or anguish. Besides serious abuse, torture includes serious psychological abuse of a victim resulting in severe mental anguish to the victim in anticipation of serious physical harm. You would not be authorized to find that the offense of First Degree Murder involved torture simply because the victim suffered pain or briefly anticipated the prospect of death. Nor would acts committed upon the body of a deceased victim support a finding of torture. In order to find that the offense of First Degree Murder involved torture, you must find that the Defendant intentionally, unnecessarily, and wantonly inflicted severe physical or mental pain, agony or anguish upon a living victim. 1996 SD 55, ¶ 160, 548 N.W.2d at 451-52. [¶ 115.] We noted in Rhines that the torture instruction included two essential limiting elements for a finding of torture: (1) the unnecessary and wanton infliction of severe pain, agony, or anguish; and (2) the intent to inflict such pain, agony, or anguish. Id. ¶ 161, 548 N.W.2d at 452. We held that such an instruction was proper because it eliminated from the pool of death-eligible murderers those who intended to kill their victims painlessly or instantly or who only intended to cause pain that was incident to death. Id. [¶ 116.] The challenged jury instruction in the instant case similarly contained both requisite elements for a proper torture instruction. Moreover, it required the jury to make precise factual inquiries regarding the nature of the victim's injuries and the defendant's intent. Moeller I, 1996 SD 60, ¶ 117, 548 N.W.2d at 492. The instruction is not overly vague or otherwise constitutionally infirm.