Opinion ID: 867532
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Statutory context of the cases

Text: ¶ 17 Even in territorial days, the state's burden of showing proof beyond a reasonable doubt was set forth in statute. See Pen.Code 1901, § 923. The codification of that requirement has survived to date and is now found in A.R.S. § 13-115. See 1977 Ariz. Sess. Laws, ch. 142, § 40; Code 1939, § 44-1810; Rev.Code 1928, § 5044; Laws 1919, ch. 146, § 4; Pen.Code 1913, § 1036; Pen.Code 1901, § 923. Similarly, various statutes have set forth defenses to the crimes of assault and murder. See Pen.Code 1901, § 933 (defense in murder case); Pen.Code 1913, § 1046; Rev.Code 1928, § 5050; Code 1939, § 44-1814; A.R.S. § 13-454; 1973 Ariz. Sess. Laws, ch. 138, § 4; see also Pen.Code 1901, §§ 181-82 (justifiable homicide); Pen.Code 1913, §§ 180-81; Rev.Code 1928, § 4590; Code 1939, § 43-2908; A.R.S. § 13-462; 1977 Ariz. Sess. Laws, ch. 142, § 15; see also Pen.Code 1901, §§ 213-14 (defenses to assault); Pen.Code 1913, §§ 213-14; Rev.Code 1928, § 4612; Code 1939, § 43-602; A.R.S. § 13-246; 1977 Ariz. Sess. Laws, ch. 142, § 4. ¶ 18 When the Arizona Constitution was adopted in 1910, the framers granted the accused many rights. See, e.g., Ariz. Const. art. II, §§ 10, 14,15, 24, 25. The framers specifically included the right to due process, id. at § 4, but did not specifically include the concept of proof beyond a reasonable doubt or specify a defendant's burden regarding a justification defense. Rather, the framers left undisturbed the definitions of burdens of proof in the existing Penal Code. [1] The cases upon which Casey relies, accordingly, have focused on statutes defining the burden as opposed to constitutional provisions.