Opinion ID: 2056434
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Jury Instruction on Voluntary Intoxication

Text: Appellant claims that the trial court improperly denied his requested jury instruction for voluntary intoxication. Appellant highlights Sergeant Griffith's testimony that Appellant appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of his arrest. Furthermore, Sergeant Griffith testified that Appellant was not moving when he was placed into Officer Hine's patrol car and that Appellant appeared to be asleep and had his eyes closed. In further support of his argument that he was intoxicated, Appellant emphasizes that he was driving a van that he did not own, without headlights, carrying a corpse, and that once he was in his holding cell, he dunked his hands in toilet water and washed them, even though a sink was available. The Commonwealth responds that the trial court properly denied a jury instruction based upon voluntary intoxication. Specifically, the Commonwealth explains that the trial court properly found that there was no evidence that Appellant had actually consumed drugs or alcohol prior to the killing, or that he was overpowered or overwhelmed to such a degree that he was incapable of forming the intent to kill. In fact, Appellant's attempt to conceal the murder and dispose of Kolesnik's body suggested that he understood the nature, gravity, and consequences of his actions. In order to be entitled to a voluntary intoxication instruction, there must be some evidence that the defendant is overwhelmed or overpowered by alcohol or drugs to the point of losing his faculties or sensibilities. Commonwealth v. Tilley, 528 Pa. 125, 136, 595 A.2d 575, 580 (1991). Mere evidence of the consumption of alcohol or drugs and appearing intoxicated is not sufficient to support a conclusion that a defendant is overwhelmed or overpowered to be incapable of forming the requisite specific intent to kill. Id. Moreover, our standard of review when considering the denial of jury instructions is one of deference  an appellate court will reverse a court's decision only when it abused its discretion or committed an error of law. Commonwealth v. DeMarco, 570 Pa. 263, 271, 809 A.2d 256, 260-61 (2002). The only evidence supporting Appellant's intoxication claim was the testimony of Sergeant Griffith, who stated that he believed Appellant was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This was based upon Appellant's slow response to questioning. As noted by the trial court, none of the other officers who interacted with Appellant the night he was arrested believed that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Furthermore, Appellant had the presence of mind to remove Kolesnik's body from his residence, wrap and bind the victim's body, and drive the body toward a secluded wooded area, during which he attempted to elude capture. Rather than being overwhelmed, these actions strongly demonstrate an individual acting coherently and methodically. See Commonwealth v. Cuevas, 574 Pa. 409, 419-20, 832 A.2d 388, 394 (2003) (upholding denial of involuntary intoxication instruction, finding intoxication did not deprive defendant of understanding the importance of hiding his crime and himself). Additionally, while Appellant points to his dunking of his hands in a toilet to support his claim, this meager act is simply insufficient to show that Appellant was overwhelmed or overpowered by drugs or alcohol to the point of losing his faculties so as to require a charge of voluntary intoxication. Thus, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion or commit legal error in refusing to charge the jury regarding voluntary intoxication.