Opinion ID: 1256218
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Request Jury Charge

Text: The State argues that the PCR judge erred in granting relief on the basis that counsel was ineffective for failing to request a jury charge on the lesser-included offense of ABHAN. We agree. A judge must charge the jury on material issues raised by the evidence. Frasier v. State, 306 S.C. 158, 162, 410 S.E.2d 572, 574 (1991). Nevertheless, a judge is required to charge a jury on a lesser-included offense if there is any evidence from which it could be inferred the lesser, rather than the greater, offense was committed. State v. Gourdine, 322 S.C. 396, 398, 472 S.E.2d 241, 242 (1996) (emphasis supplied). ABHAN is a lesser-included charge of CSC. State v. Primus, 349 S.C. 576, 582, 564 S.E.2d 103, 106 (2002). ABHAN is the unlawful act of violent injury to another accompanied by circumstances of aggravation. Id. at 580, 564 S.E.2d at 105. Circumstances of aggravation include the use of a deadly weapon, intent to commit a felony, infliction of serious bodily injury, great disparity in the ages or physical conditions of the parties, a difference in gender, the purposeful infliction of shame and disgrace, taking indecent liberties of familiarities with a female, and resistance to lawful authority. Id. at 580-581, 564 S.E.2d at 105-106. In the present case, both the victim's aunt and the victim testified that Dempsey acted violently towards the victim. The aunt testified that on one occasion she witnessed Dempsey pick up the victim and yell obscenities at him. In addition, victim testified that on another occasion Dempsey jacked [the victim] up against the wall and threatened to hurt him if he told anyone about the sexual abuse. Nevertheless, the evidence indicates that on several different occasions Dempsey forced the victim to perform various sexual acts. We find that there is no evidence that Dempsey committed ABHAN rather than CSC with a minor on those occasions. In this case, Dempsey points to evidence that he physically assaulted the victim to support his claim that counsel was ineffective in failing to request an ABHAN charge. The indictment charged that the CSC occurred between December 1996 and June 1997, during which period there was evidence of several instances of sexual battery. While it is true, as Dempsey contends, that there was also evidence of conduct that could be construed as ABHAN, none of these incidents was alleged to have occurred instead of the sexual batteries. Under these circumstances, where there is no evidence from which it could be inferred that ABHAN rather than CSC was committed, an ABHAN charge is not warranted.