Opinion ID: 1998936
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: issues

Text: IS SDCL 22-18-1.1(5) A SPECIFIC INTENT CRIME? The trial court refused to give Schmiedt's proposed jury instruction that said: In the crime of aggravated assault there must exist in the mind of the perpetrator the specific intent to physically menace another with a deadly weapon by putting them in fear of imminent serious bodily harm. If specific intent did not exist, this crime has not been committed. The trial court refused this instruction based upon the rationale of State v. Rash, 294 N.W.2d 416 (S.D.1980). Schmiedt now argues that an attempt to commit a crime requires specific intent. State v. Rash, supra , dealt with this precise issue in the context of SDCL 22-18-1.1(1): Any person who: 1) Attempts to cause seriously bodily injury to another, or causes such injury, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life;       is guilty of aggravated assault. The court noted that specific intent means some intent in addition to the intent to do the physical act which the crime requires; general intent means the intent to do the physical act which the crime requires. Id. SDCL 22-18-1.1(1) refers to attempts but not to intent. Appellant argues that the use of the word attempts shows that the legislature meant to require the state to prove that a defendant had a specific desire. Yet this court has said that the word attempt means that an accused's acts unequivocally demonstrate that a crime is about to be committed. State v. Martinez, 88 S.D. 369, 372, 220 N.W.2d 530, 531 (1974). State v. Rash, 294 N.W.2d at 417. In reading the statute as written, we conclude that the legislature intended for the statute to cover all acts, so long as (1) the person either attempted to cause or actually did cause serious bodily injury to another, and (2) the circumstances under which the act was done manifested extreme indifference to the value of human life. The statute says nothing about intent. State v. Rash, 294 N.W.2d at 418. The same rationale is applicable to SDCL 22-18-1.1(5) (attempts by physical menace with a deadly weapon to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily harm.) It is silent as to intent and the only intent necessary is a general intent to try to put someone in fear by physical menace with a deadly weapon. The judgment is affirmed. MILLER, C.J., and WUEST, SABERS, AMUNDSON and KONENKAMP, JJ., participating.