Opinion ID: 2130950
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Did trial court err in failing to give defendant's requested instruction relating to expert testimony?

Text: Defendant's psychiatrist witness Dr. Jenkins testified he had consultations with defendant on three occasions after her arrest. He expressed the opinion she was in a state of overpowering panic when she shot her husband and was incapable of deliberation or premeditation. Defendant's requested instruction number one would have informed the jury this expert's testimony could be considered on the issue of her state of mind and whether she acted with premeditation, wilfully and deliberately. The instruction obviously was designed to assert the concept of diminished responsibility. See State v. Gramenz, 256 Iowa 134, 126 N.W.2d 285 (1964); I.S.B.A., Uniform Jury Instructions, No. 513.18 (Vol. II, Criminal). Trial court refused to give the instruction. It did submit the uniform instruction on expert testimony, tailored to allow the jury merely to consider the testimony on the state of mind of the Defendant at the time of the firing of the hand gun. See I.S.B.A., Uniform Jury Instructions, No. 1.9 (Vol. I, Civil). Trial court is obligated to instruct fully on the law applicable to jury issues. See State v. Templeton, 258 N.W.2d 380, 382 (Iowa 1977); State v. Ritchison, 223 N.W.2d 207, 211 (Iowa 1974). Diminished responsibility is an appropriate defense in any crime which requires proof of a specific intent as an element, and if supported by the evidence, should be the subject of an appropriate instruction. See State v. Barney, 244 N.W.2d 316, 318 (Iowa 1976). Trial court's refusal to submit an instruction incorporating the concept of diminished responsibility was error. But of course this error does not mandate reversal unless it also was prejudicial. Defendant was convicted of manslaughter only. Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice. State v. Reese, 259 N.W.2d 771, 778 (Iowa); State v. Shipley, 259 Iowa 952, 960, 146 N.W.2d 266, 271 (1966); State v. Drosos, 253 Iowa 1152, 1164, 114 N.W.2d 526, 533 (1962); State v. Boston, 233 Iowa 1249, 1255, 11 N.W.2d 407, 410 (1943). An express intent to kill is not a necessary element of manslaughter, a showing of reckless indifference to life and safety of another may be sufficient. State v. Townsend, 238 N.W.2d 351, 356 (Iowa 1976). Specific intent to kill is an element of first, but not second, degree murder. §§ 690.2, 690.3, The Code. As defendant was not convicted of a specific intent crime, failure to instruct regarding expert testimony relating to her ability to form a specific intent could not have resulted in prejudice warranting reversal. See State v. Mayhew, supra, 170 N.W.2d at 618; State v. Shipley, supra, 259 Iowa at 959-960, 146 N.W.2d at 271; State v. Jiles, 258 Iowa 1324, 1338, 142 N.W.2d 451, 459 (1966). VIII. Did trial court err in failing to instruct the jury it could consider decedent's prior specific acts of violence on the issue whether he was the aggressor in the fatal encounter? Defendant introduced evidence of specific acts tending to show Douglas' turbulent, violent and quarrelsome character. Defendant had witnessed or knew about some of these acts. She had been involved in some of the other incidents. However, there was no proof she had prior knowledge of a gang rape of a young girl by Douglas and other members of The Chosen Few, or Douglas' assaults on his first wife. No effective objection was urged to the reception of this evidence. Defendant took timely exception to trial court's failure to submit her requested instruction number three: Certain evidence has been admitted in this case of acts of violence and threats on the part of the deceased towards persons other than the Defendant. This evidence was admitted because you should consider it in determining the question of what the decedent probably did or was probably threatening to do at the time of the incident which is the subject of the charges made against the Defendant. You are further instructed that it makes no difference that the Defendant may not have known about these acts or threats of violence. Defendant contends evidence of these specific acts was admissible as bearing on the issue who was the aggressor in the incident in which Douglas lost his life. The State's brief asserts the statement of law is contained in another instruction and in any event the instruction unduly emphasized defendant's theory of the case. Neither of these arguments has merit. We hold, however, trial court rightly rejected the requested instruction for a different reason. The precise issue before us should be isolated and identified. We are not confronted here with an attempt to prove the bad general character of a witness for the purpose of testing his or her credibility. § 622.18, The Code; State v. Alberts, 241 Iowa 1000, 1001-1002, 43 N.W.2d 703, 705 (1950); State v. Ferguson, 222 Iowa 1148, 1159, 270 N.W. 874, 881 (1937). Nor does this situation involve a defendant's attempt to prove his or her good character for the traits involved in an offense as bearing on the probability he or she did or did not commit the crime charged. State v. Buckner, 214 N.W.2d 164, 166-167 (Iowa 1974); State v. Hobbs, 172 N.W.2d 268, 271 (Iowa 1969); M. Ladd, Techniques and Theory of Character Testimony, 24 Iowa L.Rev. 498 (1939). Rather, we are concerned with the character of the homicide victim. Here certain rules logically apply. All persons, independently of their character or reputation, are under the equal protection of the law. A homicide victim's prior violent or turbulent character or reputation is ordinarily immaterial and furnishes another no excuse to become his or her private executioner. Thus where the accused denies the killing or asserts it was unintentional, evidence of the deceased's character is inadmissible. 40 Am.Jur.2d, Homicide, § 301, pp. 568-569 (1968); Annot., EvidenceSelf-DefenseReputation, 1 A.L.R.3d 571, § 1, p. 574 (1965). But an exception to this general rule applies where the accused asserts he or she acted in self-defense and the slightest supporting evidence is introduced. Then the violent, quarrelsome, dangerous or turbulent character of the deceased may be shown, both by evidence of his or her reputation in that respect and by witnesses who can testify from an actual knowledge of the victim's character. State v. Wilson, 236 Iowa 429, 442-443, 19 N.W.2d 232, 238 (1945); State v. Rhone, 223 Iowa 1221, 1232-1234, 275 N.W. 109, 115-116 (1937). This type evidence concerning the deceased's character is admissible for one or both of the following purposes: (1) To show the state of mind of the defendant, the degree and nature of his or her apprehension of danger which might reasonably justify resort to more prompt and violent measures of self-preservation. Rhone, supra, 223 Iowa at 1232-1233, 275 N.W. at 115-116; State v. Abarr, 39 Iowa 185, 189 (1874); 40 Am. Jur.2d, Homicide, § 302 at 570. Of course such evidence is admissible for this purpose only if these character traits were known to the accused. State v. Norton, 227 Iowa 13, 16, 286 N.W. 476, 478 (1939); State v. Sale, 119 Iowa 1, 3, 92 N.W. 680, 681 (1902); 1 Wigmore on Evidence, § 63 at 470 (3d ed. 1940). (2) As tending to prove who was the aggressor in the death-resulting encounter. Such evidence is admissible for this purpose even if these character traits were unknown to the accused. State v. Wilson, supra, 236 Iowa at 442-443, 19 N.W.2d at 238-239; State v. Wilson, 235 Iowa 538, 544, 17 N.W.2d 138, 142 (1945); State v. Beird, 118 Iowa 474, 478, 92 N.W. 694, 696 (1902); Wigmore, supra. This principle is similar to the rule admitting evidence of uncommunicated threats. State v. Johnson, 162 Iowa 597, 600-601, 144 N.W. 303, 305 (1913); State v. Blee, 133 Iowa 725, 733-735, 111 N.W. 19, 21-22 (1907). In this case defendant's requested instruction three obviously was related to the second purpose identified above. But defendant's evidence on the issue was confined to specific acts, not traits of character, and her requested instruction was limited accordingly. Thus the narrowed issue is whether the jury must be instructed that specific prior violent and quarrelsome acts of the victim may be considered in determining who was the aggressor in the fatal incident. Although we find no decision in point relating to instructions, a number of opinions relate to admissibility of such evidence. These cases are relevant, for if such evidence is inadmissible upon proper objection being raised, it seems obvious trial court was not required to submit an instruction articulating an asserted rule of Iowa law diametrically opposed to a principle which would have excluded the testimony on timely objection. It is the rule in Iowa and the majority of jurisdictions that the quarrelsome, violent, aggressive or turbulent character of a homicide victim cannot be established by proof of specific acts. State v. Badgett, 167 N.W.2d 680, 686 (Iowa 1969); State v. Norton, supra, 227 Iowa at 16, 286 N.W. at 478; State v. Wallack, 193 Iowa 941, 943, 188 N.W. 131, 133 (1922); State v. Buford, 158 Iowa 173, 174-175, 139 N.W. 464, 465 (1913); State v. Peffers, 80 Iowa 580, 583, 46 N.W. 662, 663 (1890); State v. Abarr, supra, 39 Iowa at 189; State v. Griffin, 99 Ariz. 43, 47, 406 P.2d 397, 399 (1965); Sanders v. State, 245 Ark. 321, 324, 432 S.W.2d 467, 469 (1968); People v. Flores, 539 P.2d 1236, 1238 (Colo.1975); Rolle v. State, 314 So.2d 167, 168 (Fla.App.1975); Henderson v. State, 234 Ga. 827, 828, 218 S.E.2d 612, 614-615 (1975); State v. Foreman, 256 La. 999, 1010, 240 So.2d 736, 740 (1970); State v. Conyers, 58 N.J. 123, 133, 275 A.2d 721, 726 (1971); Barger v. State, 2 Md.App. 565, 568-569, 235 A.2d 751, 753 (1967); State v. Matthews, 301 Minn. 133, 134, 221 N.W.2d 563, 564 (1974); McDonald v. State, 218 So.2d 21, 23 (Miss.1969); State v. Stewart, 529 S.W.2d 182, 184 (Mo.App.1975); Broz v. State, 4 Tenn.Cr.App. 457, 463, 472 S.W.2d 907, 910 (1971), cert. den., 406 U.S. 949, 92 S.Ct. 2054, 32 L.Ed.2d 336 (1972); State v. Walker, 13 Wash.App. 545, 549-550, 536 P.2d 657, 662 (1975); 40 Am.Jur.2d, Homicide, § 306, p. 574; Annot., Self-DefenseEvidenceAdmissibility, 121 A.L.R. 380, 382 (1939). A minority rule permitting evidence of specific acts unknown to the defendant, to show the victim was the aggressor, has been applied in at least two federal circuits. United States v. Burks, 152 U.S.App.D.C. 284, 289, 470 F.2d 432, 437 (1972); Evans v. United States, 107 U.S.App.D.C. 324, 325-326, 277 F.2d 354, 356 (1960); United States v. McIntire, 461 F.2d 1092, 1093 (5th Cir. 1972). However, the new Federal Rules of Evidence indicate a shift to the majority rule where, as here, character is sought to be shown circumstantially. See 28 U.S. C.A., rule 404, and notes of advisory committee; rule 405, and notes of advisory committee. The minority rule prevails in Texas, Lewis v. State, 463 S.W.2d 186, 187-188 (Ct.Crim.App.1971); in Virginia, Barnes v. Commonwealth, 214 Va. 24, 25-26, 197 S.E.2d 189, 190 (1973); and in California following a 1967 change in its Evidence Code, People v. Thomas, 269 Cal.App.2d 327, 328, 74 Cal.Rptr. 617, 619 (1969). The reasons for the rule prohibiting proof of specific acts of violence appear to be at least threefold: (1) A single act may have been exceptional, unusual, and not characteristic and thus a specific act does not necessarily establish one's general character; (2) although the state is bound to foresee that the general character of the deceased may be put in issue, it cannot anticipate and prepare to rebut each and every specific act of violence; and (3) permitting proof of specific acts would multiply the issues, prolong the trial and confuse the jury. Henderson v. State, supra, 234 Ga. at 829, 218 S.E.2d at 615. Proving a character trait by evidence of specific instances of conduct, while most convincing, possesses the greatest capacity to arouse prejudice, to confuse, to surprise, and to consume time. Notes of advisory committee on proposed rules, 28 U.S.C.A., rule 405, p. 148 (1975). A similar rationale foundations our rule that the character of a witness must be confined to the general reputation he or she sustained in the community, and not specific conduct or acts. Such testimony raises collateral issues and diverts the minds of the jurors from the real issues. State v. Johnson, 219 N.W.2d 690, 695 (Iowa 1974). We should not leave this area without noting, however, that specific acts to prove the victim's violent, dangerous, turbulent or quarrelsome character, even though unknown to the defendant, are admissible if so closely related to the fatal event as to constitute part of the res gestae. State v. Beird, supra, 118 Iowa at 479-480, 92 N.W. at 696; State v. Hunter, 118 Iowa 686, 692-693, 92 N.W. 872, 874 (1902). It should also be observed: [A]ccording to most courts    if, prior to the homicide, the defendant, either through his own observation or through information communicated to him by others, including the deceased himself, knew of other acts of violence of the deceased, he may, in support of his contention that he had reasonable grounds to believe himself in imminent danger from an assault by the deceased, introduce evidence of such prior unlawful acts of violence by the deceased. 40 Am.Jur.2d, Homicide, § 306 at 575. See also Wood v. State, 486 S.W.2d 359, 362 (Tex.Crim.Ct.1972); McMorris v. State, 58 Wis.2d 144, 149-150, 205 N.W.2d 559, 563 (1973). It may be argued these various rules on admissibility of such evidence are not entirely consistent. On the other hand, we are not inclined to change our rule at this time to accommodate defendant's requested instruction. As the Supreme Court has observed in considering the various principles involving proof of character, [t]o pull one misshapen stone out of the grotesque structure is more likely simply to upset its present balance between adverse interests than to establish a rational edifice. Michelson v. United States, 335 U.S. 469, 486, 69 S.Ct. 213, 224, 93 L.Ed. 168, 179 (1948). We hold defendant's requested instruction number three was rightly refused.