Opinion ID: 2352091
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: First-degree criminal trespass.

Text: Voluntary intoxication is a defense to an offense if it [n]egatives the existence of an element of the offense. KRS 501.080(1). However, voluntary intoxication does not negate a culpable mental state of wantonness because voluntary intoxication, itself, supplies the element of wantonness. KRS 501.020(3). Even if Appellant was so intoxicated as to negative the element of intent necessary to convict him of murder or first-degree manslaughter, such would not be a complete defense but would only reduce the offense to a wanton homicide, i.e., second-degree manslaughter. Fields v. Commonwealth, Ky., 12 S.W.3d 275, 282 (2000); Slaven v. Commonwealth, Ky., 962 S.W.2d 845, 857 (1997). However, there is no lesser offense of wanton robbery, Slaven at 857, or wanton burglary. To the extent that intoxication negatives the element of intent to commit a theft, the theft element of robbery evaporates, and the assault element is reduced to a charge of wanton assault. Id. Where, as here, however, the assault element of the robbery charge merges with the homicide charge, intoxication is an absolute defense to robbery. Id. Burglary also has two mens rea elements, i.e., knowingly entering or remaining in the building or residence of another with the intent to commit a crime therein. KRS 511.020; 511.030; 511.040. If Appellant was so intoxicated as to negative either the knowledge element or both the knowledge and intent elements of burglary, intoxication is an absolute defense, but if the jury believed that Appellant's intoxication negatived only the element of intent and not the element of knowledge, Appellant would still be guilty of first-degree criminal trespass. KRS 511.060. Thus, Appellant was entitled to an instruction on first-degree criminal trespass as a lesser included offense of first-degree burglary. GRAVES and WINTERSHEIMER, JJ., join this opinion, concurring in part and dissenting in part.