Opinion ID: 1302133
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: cashwell's appeal

Text: Defendant Cashwell was convicted of first degree rape and brings forth assignments identical to those urged by Barnette. Like Barnette, Cashwell could be found guilty of first degree rape only if a deadly weapon were used or if he were aided and abetted in the crime. We begin our review of his conviction by an examination of the evidence on these issues. When Hughes threatened Jackson with the shotgun in the kitchen, they were only a few feet away from the center of the living room. In the living room were a number of people. Hughes spoke in a loud voice; those people in the living room probably could have heard him. Although Cashwell admitted that he was in the living room when Jackson arrived, there is no evidence that he was in the living room when Hughes threatened Jackson with the shotgun nor can his continued presence in the living room be inferred: Jackson herself testified that people were constantly entering and exiting the trailer. At the time of Hughes's second threat with the shotgun, only he, Jackson and Barnette were present. There is no evidence from which it can be reasonably inferred that Cashwell knew of Hughes's actions. With regard to Cashwell, Jackson testified: [After] Mr. Barnette was in there the first time, I don't know the name of the person who came in next. The one in the black suit. He had reddish hair, small, tiny person, skinny. I did notice him at this time. I don't know what caused me to notice him. The sun had started to come up or it was brighter in the room or something. Whenever the door would open there would be light from the hallway, and after I realized that I was going to, obviously, be in there for longer, I had started to look at what was coming through the door. Later on, in the morning or in the later hours after I had been in there for a while, the sun did start to come up I could tell who each person was just by the light in the room. At that time, I was feeling disgust. I felt degraded. I felt very sick at that time. The man with the red hair, Mr. Cashwell, is in the Courtroom today, seated the fourth person down. (The witness pointed out Cashwell in the courtroom). When he came in the room, the same thing happened. He undressed and had intercourse with me. He did penetrate me. After the man I have identified as Mr. Cashwell entered the room again, he undressed, just like the others and jumped in the bed and had sexual intercourse with me. I did have intercourse on my back with him. And he tried to turn me over and have intercourse with me another way and I refused. I fought him and told him thatI don't know why I told him thatbut I didn't know what to say, I told him I just had a baby and to please don't do that to me and he didn't force me in that way. After that transpired, I was then on my back again and intercourse was continued withat that time, I was positioned just on my back. With my hands, I would push as much as I could before I was pushed back, or restrained back. I did not embrace or do anything to entice what was going on. During intercourse at this time, I was just laying there. I was feeling disgusted, helpless. No one else was in the room with me when Mr. Cashwell was in the room. When he stopped having intercourse, he left the room..... Mr. Cashwell, the fellow over there with the red hair, had been in the room before Mr. Smith had. Mr. Cashwell did not have a weapon of any kind while he was in the room that I know of. As to whether Mr. Cashwell threatened me with any injury while he was in the room with me, when I would try to resist he would forcefully put a restraining arm on me. I do not know whether Mr. Cashwell had all his clothes off when he had intercourse with me. Mr. Cashwell was on top of me when he had intercourse with me. As to what he did to me physically with his arms, I had my hands up against his chest, as I did with more than just him, and when I would try to push him away my arms were restrained. As to whether that was from his weight or his bearing down on me, his hands. Mr. Cashwell did not ever threaten to harm me or beat me up. He did not say that he would kill me or anything like that. Neither Mr. Smith nor Mr. Cashwell beat me, pounded me or pawed you or choked you or anything like that. As to whether I asked Mr. Cashwell to leave me alone, I asked all of them to leave me alone. Cashwell admitted the intercourse with Jackson but claimed that she initiated it when he came into the bedroom to put away some clothes. None of this evidence shows that Cashwell, acting by himself or with another person, employed a deadly weapon or that he was aided and abetted. For this reason, the charge of first degree rape should have been dismissed. Because Cashwell, unlike Hughes, had intercourse with Jackson, we must now consider whether the evidence was sufficient to justify the submission of the charge of second degree rape. Second degree rape is vaginal intercourse by force and against the will of the victim. G.S. § 14-27.3(a) (1981). Because Cashwell admitted the intercourse, the only question for our consideration is whether, when considered in the light most favorable to the State, there is substantial evidence that the intercourse was by force and against the will of the victim. Jackson testified that she asked him to leave her alone and that, while he was on top of her, she tried to push him away with her hands on his chest. When she did so he restrained her arms with his hands. During Cashwell's visit, he tried to turn her over and she fought him and told him that she had just had a baby. He then turned her so that she was lying on her back and continued the intercourse. In our opinion, this evidence is substantial on every element of second degree rape and justified the submission of that charge. The sole distinction between the crimes of first and second degree rape is the element of the use of a deadly weapon or aiding and abetting. [1] Compare G.S. § 14-27.2(a) with G.S. § 14-27.3(a). Otherwise, the elements of the offenses are the same. When the jury found Cashwell guilty of first degree rape, it necessarily found facts which would support a conviction of second degree rape. Because there is insufficient evidence with regard to this defendant on the alternative elements of deadly weapon and aiding and abetting which would make his crime first degree rape, it follows that the verdict returned by the jury must be considered as a verdict of guilty of second degree rape. See State v. Small, 301 N.C. 407, 272 S.E.2d 128 (1980); State v. Jolly, 297 N.C. 121, 130, 254 S.E.2d 1, 7 (1979). To paraphrase Jolly, Hence, leaving the verdict undisturbed but recognizing it for what it is, the judgment upon the verdict of guilty of first degree rape is vacated and the cause is remanded to the Superior Court, New Hanover County, for pronouncement of a judgment as upon a verdict of guilty of second degree rape. The Clerk of the Superior Court, New Hanover County, shall thereupon issue a revised commitment with respect to the revised judgment on the first count in case number 80CRS5873 bearing the same date as the original commitment for first degree rape. The effect will be, and it is so intended, that defendant will receive credit upon the new commitment for all the time heretofore served for first degree rape. Id. Cashwell also assigns error to the instructions on consent. However, as with defendant Barnette, no issue as to consent induced by fear arises on the evidence: Jackson testified that she never consented and that her resistance was overcome by force, and Cashwell testified that she enticed him into bed. Thus, a general instruction on the issue of lack of consent was all that was required.