Opinion ID: 1824793
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: did the trial judge err in failing to grant porter's requested lesser included offense jury instruction?

Text: Mississippi Code Annotated § 97-3-7(1) (Supp. 1992), provides that a person is guilty of simple assault if he: (a) attempts to cause or purposely, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or (b) negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm... . Porter's testimony does not bring this case within the statutory definition of simple assault. There was no evidence that the injuries Porter caused the infant to suffer were anything other than serious and Porter could not have been convicted of simple assault pursuant to § 97-3-7(1)(a). Colburn v. State, 431 So.2d 1111, 1114 (Miss. 1983). As Porter admitted that her actions were performed intentionally, she could not have negligently caused bodily injury to the infant pursuant to § 97-3-7(1)(b). The negligence contemplated by the statute does not refer to the subjective intent of the defendant but to the act itself. Nobles v. State, 464 So.2d 1151, 1154 (Miss. 1985). To paraphrase Nobles, whether Porter negligently believed the child was dead is a question for the jury. Either she did or she didn't. Id. All of the evidence indicates that [Porter put the child in a bag and carried it outside] neither recklessly nor negligently. The [act] was deliberate.... While [Porter] may have been reckless or negligent in jumping to the conclusion that [the infant was dead], [her] testimony reflects that when [s]he [put the child in a garbage bag and carried it outside, this transaction] itself was not an act of negligence or recklessness. Nobles, 464 So.2d at 1154. Porter's version does not support an instruction on the lesser included offense of simple assault. There is no error.