Opinion ID: 1212862
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Challenged Statute.

Text: Appellant contends that our challenge to fight statute is void for vagueness because it fails to define what constitutes a challenge to fight; because it fails to define previous concert and agreement in a manner such that a person of ordinary intelligence knows whether he has in fact violated the statute; and, further, because it fails to distinguish between an aggressor and defender situation. [1] Here, we disagree. The due process clause of the United States Constitution does not require impossible standards of specificity in penal statutes. The test of granting sufficient warning as to proscribed conduct will be met if there are well settled and ordinarily understood meanings for the words employed when viewed in the context of the entire statutory provision. Woofter v. O'Donnell, 91 Nev. 756, 762, 542 P.2d 1396, 1400 (1975) (citations omitted). See Dinitz v. Christensen, 94 Nev. 230, 577 P.2d 873 (1978); Fields v. Sheriff, 93 Nev. 640, 572 P.2d 213 (1977). It is settled that statutes are clothed with the presumption of validity and the burden is on those attacking them to show their unconstitutionality. Damus v. County of Clark, 93 Nev. 512, 516, 569 P.2d 933, 935 (1977); see State ex rel. Santini v. Swackhamer, 90 Nev. 153, 521 P.2d 568 (1974); Viale v. Foley, 76 Nev. 149, 350 P.2d 721 (1960). In the context of this case, we believe that the statute provided appellant with sufficient warning of the proscribed behavior. See Rose v. Locke, 423 U.S. 48, 96 S.Ct. 243, 46 L.Ed.2d 185 (1975) (per curiam). The statute proscribes the conveyance or acceptance of a challenge to fight when such a fight or confrontation results. The degrees of punishment depend upon whether the fight involves the use of a deadly weapon or results in death. Here, there was a challenge and an acceptance, a subsequent confrontation, and the use of a deadly weapon was involved. There was also a resulting death. Appellant further argues that it is unclear when a participant may use self-defense when weapons are used and an agreement to use weapons was not previously reached. Although we can envision innumerable factual situations on which the warnings in the statute might be considered ambiguous, on the instant facts, self-defense is no defense to the violation of this statute. Cf. State v. Grimmett, 33 Nev. 531, 112 P. 273 (1910) (defendant acted in self-defense and was not subject to murder charge where he did not enter situation voluntarily). Criminal responsibility in the context of this case is predicated upon the issuance or acceptance of a challenge to fight and upon the fact that some fight occur. We find neither unconstitutional vagueness nor legal deficiency in the statute.