Opinion ID: 2091735
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claim of Constitutional Error in Jury Instructions at Hall's Murder Trial.

Text: Finally, we consider Hall's claim that there was constitutional error at his murder trial as a result of the court's failure to instruct the jury that involuntary drug intoxication would be a complete defense to the charge. We find that this claim affords Hall no basis for relief for two reasons. First, section 663A.8 provides that [a]ny ground finally adjudicated... in the proceeding that resulted in the conviction or sentence ... may not be the basis for a subsequent application [for postconviction relief]. In Jones v. Scurr, 316 N.W.2d 905, 906, 910-11 (Iowa 1982), we recognized that ultimate issues of law or fact previously adjudicated should not be reexamined in light of section 663A.8. Second, separate and apart from the ultimate legal issue surrounding the claimed instructional error, the factual basis upon which it is predicated, i.e., that the intoxication was involuntary, was found to be without evidentiary support at the original trial. No evidence was offered at the postconviction hearing which would serve to contradict that finding. We have considered all issues presented on this appeal and conclude that the trial court correctly denied the application for postconviction relief. AFFIRMED.