Opinion ID: 2099700
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Congenital or Acquired Condition Affecting Emotional or Volitional Capacity

Text: There was expert testimony presented at trial that Barnes suffers from antisocial personality disorder. This testimony also revealed that such a disorder does not necessarily relate to sexual offending. However, the experts disagreed about the effect of the disorder, including the effect of the disorder on a person's emotional or volitional capacity. Dr. Roberts testified that antisocial personality disorder is a condition that is either congenital, acquired, or both. He further testified it affects Barnes's emotional and volitional capacity. Dr. Maskel, on the other hand, testified that antisocial personality disorder does not affect emotional or volitional capacity. We first reject the notion that antisocial personality disorder cannot serve as the basis for civil commitment under chapter 229A. Our review of section 229A.2(11) reveals that the types of conditions that can serve to establish a mental abnormality are not limited to certain recognized diagnoses. Furthermore, due process does not require such limitation. What is important is that the statute requires the condition to be congenital or acquired and to affect the emotional or volitional capacity of the person subject to commitment. Significantly, the statute does not require that the condition affect the emotional or volitional capacity of every person who is afflicted with the disorder or condition; the requirement is that it has that effect on the particular individual subject to commitment. This limitation satisfies due process and requires the State to present evidence to support it. The opinions expressed by Dr. Roberts, the State's expert, supported a finding that Barnes had a condition affecting [his] emotional or volitional capacity. Although the evidence was conflicting, we frequently defer to the district court's judgment in such cases because it was in a better position to weigh the credibility of the witnesses. State v. Jacobs, 607 N.W.2d 679, 685 (Iowa 2000). Additionally, Barnes testified that he did not set out to commit rape in one of the rape incidents in 1985. Instead, Barnes testified the rape was just a spur of the moment thing. He also testified to the effect that at the time, he felt the victims wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with him because they had been nice and smiled at him. He indicated he felt forced to rape them because they did not voluntarily engage in sexual intercourse with him or attempt to run from him. Thus, the first component of the definition of mental abnormality was satisfied, and we turn to the second component.