Opinion ID: 1616871
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: White argues there is insufficient evidence to support his conviction for first-degree kidnapping. Specifically, he contends mental anguish unaccompanied by physical injury or sexual abuse is not torture within the meaning of Iowa Code section 710.2. Our review is for correction of errors of law. State v. Kotlers, 589 N.W.2d 736, 738 (Iowa 1999). The Iowa Code provides first degree kidnapping is when the person kidnapped, as a consequence of the kidnapping, suffers serious injury, or is intentionally subjected to torture or sexual abuse. Iowa Code § 710.2. [2] In the present case, there is no evidence of serious injury or sexual abuse. Therefore, the State had the burden to prove White intentionally subjected Nelson to torture as is contemplated by section 710.2. We have repeatedly addressed cases involving both mental suffering accompanied by either physical injury or sexual abuse. See, e.g., State v. Siemer, 454 N.W.2d 857 (Iowa 1990); State v. Simmons, 454 N.W.2d 866 (Iowa 1990); State v. Schertz, 330 N.W.2d 1 (Iowa 1983); State v. Schertz, 328 N.W.2d 320 (Iowa 1982); State v. Cross, 308 N.W.2d 25 (Iowa 1981); State v. Kirchner, 600 N.W.2d 330 (Iowa Ct.App.1999). However, whether mental torture alone is enough to constitute torture as it is used in section 710.2 is an issue of first impression in Iowa. We had occasion in State v. Cross to discuss the definition of torture. We relied upon [c]ommentators on the criminal code [who] suggest `torture' ordinarily means `the intentional infliction of pain (either) mental or physical.  308 N.W.2d at 27 (citing Dunahoo, The New Iowa Criminal Code: Part II, 29 Drake L.Rev. 491, 554 n. 570 (1980); J. Yeager and R. Carlson, 4 Iowa Practice: Criminal Law and Procedure § 236 (1979)). Torture is defined by the dictionary as anguish of body or mind. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 1242 (10th ed.2002). A survey of case law from other jurisdictions shows torture is generally interpreted to encompass physical and/or mental anguish. See, e.g., Mehinovic v. Vuckovic, 198 F.Supp.2d 1322, 1346 (N.D.Ga.2002) (the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment defines torture as any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him ... information or a confession....); Hale v. Gibson, 227 F.3d 1298, 1335 (10th Cir.2000) (for purposes of heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator to murder, torture includes the infliction of either great physical anguish or extreme mental cruelty); People v. Hines, 194 Colo. 284, 572 P.2d 467, 470 (1977) (class one felony kidnapping is whether the victim is inflicted with bodily injury, which includes impairment of mental condition); In re A.G., 325 Ill.App.3d 429, 258 Ill.Dec. 835, 757 N.E.2d 524, 529 (2001) (in context of CINA action, torture of children includes conduct that involves solely the infliction of emotional harm, mental pain and suffering, mental anguish and agony); State v. Wisowaty, 137 N.H. 298, 627 A.2d 572, 578 (1993) (Class A felony kidnapping is where the victim suffers a serious injury which includes psychological injuries and mental anguish); State v. Ryan, 248 Neb. 405, 534 N.W.2d 766, 793 (1995) (element of torture which makes murder especially heinous, atrocious or cruel and therefore a capital offense, is found where the victim is subjected to serious physical, sexual or psychological abuse before death). It would be contrary to legislative intent and common sense to find torture must include an element of physical injury. It is reasonable to assume the legislature was aware of the duality of the term torture and would have explicitly limited it to physical torture if that was what the legislature had intended the term to mean. In re A.G., 258 Ill.Dec. 835, 757 N.E.2d at 524, 528-29. Furthermore, other Iowa Code sections lend support to the conclusion that torture encompasses mental anguish unaccompanied by physical injury. Iowa Code section 702.18 defines serious injury to include [d]isabling mental illness, or extensive bodily injury. Iowa Code § 702.18(1)( a ), ( b ). We conclude torture as it is used in Iowa Code section 710.2 includes mental anguish unaccompanied by physical or sexual assault. In other words, torture is either physical and/or mental anguish. There is substantial evidence showing White intentionally tortured Nelson. When she arrived home, Nelson took a shower. As she dried her hair, Nelson saw the bathroom door move and slowly open. She saw the barrel of a shotgun in the mirror. Nelson dropped the hairdryer and turned around. There stood her estranged husband standing at the threshold with a shotgun. White forced Nelson at gunpoint upstairs to her bedroom. She was so consumed with fear that White was going to shoot her, Nelson walked backwards up the stairs. All the while, White pointed the shotgun at Nelson's chest. At the top of the stairs, Nelson saw the video recorder. She saw the red light was on and knew she was being taped. She saw shotgun shells lined up in a row on the stand near the television. Nelson believed she was going to die. White ordered Nelson to sit on the bed or he would shoot her knee. As he said this, White pointed the gun at Nelson's knee. White then placed a chair in front of the video recorder and ordered Nelson to sit there. Nelson moved to the chair. At all times, White kept the shotgun pointed at her. He interrogated her. He accused her of sexual infidelity. He demanded she tell the truth about having intimate relationships with other men. Nelson answered his questions. She was hysterical; she was trembling uncontrollably, crying and sobbing, wailing and screaming, and begging for her life. Nelson said, I don't want you to kill me, and White responded, Then answer my questions. Nelson pleaded to him not to kill her because their children needed her. White responded, They'll be all right. When Nelson asked White why he was doing this to her he said, I'll be in jail as soon as I leave if I don't shut you up.... You can't keep your mouth shut. At some point, White turned off the video recorder and forced Nelson downstairs. This time, Nelson went down the stairs sideways, terrified White would shoot her in the back. White forced Nelson, at gunpoint, into the living room. White put a videotape in the VCR and turned on the television. He forced Nelson to watch the two and a half hours of videotape White recorded as he waited for Nelson to come home. The tape was replete with explicit statements of White's intent to kill Nelson, his accusations against her, and vulgar name-calling. White stayed with Nelson as she viewed the entire two and a half hour video. As Nelson watched the tapes and heard the homicidal ideations of her husband, White repeatedly cocked and uncocked the shotgun. She heard White say on the tape he was going to torture her. She heard White say he was going to shoot her when she returned home. Nelson believed White was going to hurt her. At one point, White allowed Nelson to go into the kitchen for a cigarette and pop. He pointed the gun at Nelson and followed her into the kitchen with it. Some time after Nelson returned to the living room, White acted like he was going to let Nelson go. He unloaded the shotgun. When the tape was finished, White said to Nelson You can go. You can go call the police if you want to. Nelson started walking for the door and reached for her cell phone. White jumped up from the recliner and came after Nelson. He grabbed the cell phone out of her hand and blocked the door so Nelson could not leave. He reloaded the shotgun and ordered Nelson back into the living room. Nelson told White everything was her fault and that she deserved what White had done to her. She told him things to boost his ego. White left the house without his shotgun and shotgun shells. These facts support the jury's conclusion that Nelson was torture[d] within the meaning of Iowa Code section 710.2. This case is more than just a threat with a gun. The record shows repeated acts of terror against Nelson. A psychiatrist who examined the videotapes testified White looked and behaved like a caged animal. The psychiatrist remarked about White's behavior when he was waiting for Nelson to return home. White repeatedly checked the window for headlights. Every time a car approached the house and White saw the headlights, he became visibly nervous. He watched carefully to determine if it was Nelson coming home. The psychiatrist testified White was upset and was ready for what we call fight or flight. [3] When Nelson came home, White laid in wait for her as she showered. He crept around the upstairs, tiptoeing so as not to be detected. Holding his shotgun, he hid behind a wall. White intentionally held Nelson at gunpoint for three hours. He made her watch the tape containing his repeated threats to hurt herto murder her. White forced Nelson to listen to every minute of his two and a half hour videotaped diatribe. Nelson heard the following statements: I don't want to kill her. I don't know what else to do. Don't know if I'm going to shoot her, shoot her and then me, or shoot her and leave. I want to scare the f   out of her for once. The more I think about it, the more I want to kill them. She's got the devil in her. I'm not going to shoot anyone but her probably. Sometimes I want to shoot her in the f  ing p  y, blow it away from her. She doesn't need it. I'm not even sure this gun will shoot. I hope it does.... Feel pretty stupid trying to shoot somebody and it doesn't even work. I've always wanted to shoot her and now I really feel like it. White said that he might leave after he killed Nelson to think about killing himself. White said, I might have some time after someone finds her. He also apologized to his parents and Nelson's parents. He said to them, I'm sorry I have to do this. White also made threatening statements directly to Nelson. As Nelson listened to the threats, White repeatedly cocked and uncocked his shotgun in front of her. These were not impulsive or out of control acts. Rather, everything White did and said bespeaks of purposeful behavior. White used a shotgun to terrorize Nelson. White repeatedly called Nelson demeaning names such as slut and whore. White portrayed himself on the tape as an innocent victim of his wife's deception. He reiterated that he didn't want to kill Nelson, but he didn't have a choice. He said he can't cure this problem, referring to Nelson's deception. White said he couldn't live with her screwing other guys. He said, [Heather] ruined my life. My life has no meaning. White was extremely jealous. He constantly talked about the other men in Nelson's life. He questioned why he wasn't good enough for her. White said Nelson had rejected him. White had used physical violence in the past. He used this fact as additional power to control Nelson in a nonphysical manner. Because of White's past use of physical force, there is an implied threat in his verbally abusive statements made to Nelson in person and on videotape. In sum, in this case, we are confronted with an overwhelming case of domestic violence resulting in kidnapping. Because there is substantial evidence of White terrorizing Nelson, we affirm.