Opinion ID: 900573
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 35

Heading: Aggravated battery definition.

Text: [¶ 117.] Moeller also reiterates his arguments in Moeller I, 1996 SD 60, ¶ 113, 548 N.W.2d at 490, that the definition of aggravated battery (Instruction 9) did not sufficiently channel the jury's discretion. Alternatively, he argues that if the aggravated battery instruction is constitutional, there is insufficient evidence to support a finding that the victim suffered either torture or an aggravated battery as they are defined, because the extent of physical pain and injuries suffered while she was alive or conscious is unknown. [¶ 118.] The definition of aggravated battery given to the jury was as follows: INSTRUCTION NO. 9 The jury is instructed that in order to find that this murder involved an aggravated battery to the victim, you must find that the victim in this case suffered an aggravated battery to her person, which was inflicted by the defendant; that the aggravated battery involved the infliction of serious physical abuse upon the victim, by depriving her of a member of her body, by rendering a member of her body useless, or by seriously disfiguring her body or a part of her body; and that the defendant at the time that he inflicted this aggravated battery upon the victim, had the specific intention, design or purpose of maliciously inflicting unnecessary pain to the victim In this context as well, unnecessary pain implies suffering in excess of what was required to accomplish the murder, so it does not include physical or mental pain reasonably resulting from the victim's death or her brief anticipation of death. In determining whether an aggravated battery exists in this case, you may only consider those injuries which were inflicted upon the victim prior to her death. You may not consider those injuries which actually caused the death of the victim. Only those injuries which did not cause the victim's death may be considered by you in determining whether there was an aggravated assault upon the victim. [¶ 119.] Because the challenged instruction met the requirements of specificity and sufficiently channeled the jury's discretion in rendering a sentence of death, we find no constitutional violations. Moeller I, 1996 SD 60, ¶¶ 115-17, 548 N.W.2d at 492. [¶ 120.] Moreover, the record contains ample evidence to support a finding that the victim suffered both torture and an aggravated battery prior to her death. The autopsy showed that Becky likely died when her jugular vein was severed by a knife. There was also evidence that prior to her death she sustained numerous other knife wounds that were not incident to death. Further, the pattern of injuries indicated that Becky sustained defense wounds to her hands and forearms. Finally, evidence showed that she had been vaginally penetrated while she was alive, and anally penetrated after she was dead. This evidence could have reasonably led the jury to find beyond a reasonable doubt that the murder involved torture, aggravated battery, or a depraved mind. [¶ 121.] The sentence will not be set aside, because the evidence and all favorable inferences that can be drawn from it support a rational theory of guilt. Rhines, 1996 SD 55, ¶ 157, 548 N.W.2d at 451 (citations omitted).