Opinion ID: 1198834
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: QUESTIONS RESERVED (1) Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Testing

Text: We turn now to the questions reserved by the State. The State first complains that the trial court erred in refusing to admit evidence of horizontal gaze nystagmus testing. In 1992, this court addressed the question of whether horizontal gaze nystagmus testing as scientific evidence had achieved general acceptance within the relevant scientific community and, thus, could be admitted without establishing the requisite foundation under Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C. Cir. 1923). State v. Witte, 251 Kan. 313, 836 P.2d 1110 (1992). Our thorough examination of this question at that time clearly demonstrated that horizontal gaze nystagmus testing had not achieved general acceptance within the relevant scientific community. We acknowledge that since Witte, four additional jurisdictions have concluded otherwise. See People v. Buening, 229 Ill.App.3d 538, 545-46, 592 N.E.2d 1222 (1992); Schultz v. State, 106 Md. App. 145, 164-65, 664 A.2d 60 (1995); City of Fargo v. McLaughlin, 512 N.W.2d 700, 706 (N.D. 1994); State v. O'Key, 321 Or. 285, 316, 899 P.2d 663 (1995) (applying standard from Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 125 L. Ed.2d 469, 113 S. Ct. 2786 [1993], and determining as part of that standard that horizontal gaze nystagmus testing is generally accepted within the relevant scientific community). However, we are not satisfied that such testing has achieved general acceptance within the relevant scientific community. Witte remains the law in this state. The State contends that it presented sufficient evidence to establish the requisite scientific reliability. We have reviewed the testimony of Marcelline Burns, Ph.D., a doctor in psychology, who was called by the State for this purpose. While her credentials are impressive, we agree with the trial court's ruling at the conclusion of Dr. Burns' testimony:  State v. Witte , raises a number of questions, none of which have been answered here today. There are a number of medical conditions which this witness has testified that she is not qualified to answer medical questions regarding, and these are issues that were specifically addressed in State v. Witte . And questions that were addressed, this appears to be a bootstrapped-type of testing procedure that has not been shownthere are a number of other matters that need to be addressed before the scientific reliability of this testing will be allowed. (2) Instructions on Causation in Involuntary Manslaughter For its second question reserved, the State argues that neither involuntary manslaughter nor vehicular homicide contemplates the consideration of fault of the victim. This issue surfaced during jury deliberations when the jury asked the question whether the fault of each driver is to be considered when interpreting the phrase unintentionally killed in involuntary manslaughter, K.S.A. 21-3404, and vehicular homicide, K.S.A. 21-3405, as a lesser included offense of involuntary manslaughter. The trial court responded by informing the jury that the fault or lack of fault of the decedent Glenn was a circumstance to be considered along with all other evidence to determine whether the defendant's conduct was or was not the direct cause of Glenn's death. The State contends that this inaccurate construction informed the jurors that contributory negligence could be used as a defense. The response of the trial court in this case is clearly the law in this state. In State v. Gordon, 219 Kan. 643, 653, 549 P.2d 886 (1976), we stated: While contributory negligence is no defense in a prosecution for vehicular homicide, it is a circumstance to be considered along with all other evidence to determine whether appellant's conduct was or was not the proximate cause of decedents' deaths. In some instances, a decedent's contributory negligence may have been a substantial factor in his death and a superseding cause thereof; it may have intervened between a defendant's conduct and the fatal result so as to be itself the proximate cause. [Citations omitted.] The same situation applies to involuntary manslaughter where an automobile is concerned. See State v. Betts, 214 Kan. 271, 278, 519 P.2d 655 (1974). In Betts, we held that contributory negligence is not a defense in a homicide case but noted that a jury could acquit if it found that the victim's conduct was the sole cause of the death and that the defendant's drinking had nothing to do with it. The State argues that the rule in Gordon should not be followed because both K.S.A. 21-3404 and K.S.A. 21-3405 were amended in 1993, and language relating to causation deleted. Therefore, according to the State, causation is no longer a requirement. At the time Gordon was decided, K.S.A. 21-3405 was essentially the same as it is now, except that it contained an additional section which stated: (2) This section shall be applicable only when the death of the injured person ensues within one (1) year as the proximate result of the operation of a vehicle in the manner described in subsection (1) of this section. K.S.A. 21-3405 (Ensley 1988). This section was deleted by the legislature in 1992 as part of S.B. 358. See L. 1992, ch. 298, § 7. The Comments of the Judicial Council indicate that the section was deleted because the 1-year limitation unnecessarily limits liability and is not found in other homicide statutes. See Comments of the Kansas Judicial Council to S.B. 358, p. 9. There appears to be no intention to actually change the proximate cause requirement. Indeed, the Comment to PIK Crim.3d 56.07 still cites Gordon for the proposition that [c]ontributory negligence of the decedent is no defense. It is a circumstance to be considered along with all other evidence to determine whether the defendant's conduct was or was not the direct cause of decedent's death. The decedent's negligence may have been such a substantial factor in his death as to be itself the cause. K.S.A. 21-3404 contained no proximate cause language prior to the 1992 amendment and was not significantly affected by S.B. 358. See L. 1992, ch. 298, § 6. Thus, the State's argument that the 1992 amendment changed the causation requirement in this statute is without merit. Further, the State's argument neglects one important point. Although the proximate cause language was deleted, unintentionally or not, from K.S.A. 21-3404, both K.S.A. 21-3404 and K.S.A. 21-3405 still require that the conduct of the defendant cause the death of the victim. This is reflected in the PIK instructions for each offense, both of which inform the jury that the State is required to prove that the defendant unintentionally killed the victim. See PIK Crim.3d 56.06 (involuntary manslaughter); PIK Crim.3d 56.07 (vehicular homicide). Affirmed.