Opinion ID: 2156265
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motion for a Judgment of Acquittal

Text: [¶ 7] When reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the State to determine whether the jury rationally could find beyond a reasonable doubt every element of the offense charged. State v. Brown, 2000 ME 25, ¶ 7, 757 A.2d 768, 770-71. There is no question that the record contains ample evidence satisfying the elements of the charge of assault, and York does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence in support of the elements of assault. See Wilder, 2000 ME 32, ¶ 46, 748 A.2d at 456. [¶ 8] Instead, York challenges the court's failure to conclude that York's actions fell, as a matter of law, within the parental discipline privilege set out in 17-A M.R.S.A. § 106(1), because his actions were necessary to prevent or punish Kelly's misconduct. In other words, York claims that even though the jury was entitled to find that he caused Kelly offensive physical contact, [5] the State failed to present sufficient evidence to disprove his parental discipline defense beyond a reasonable doubt. [¶ 9] We first determine whether York presented sufficient evidence to raise the parental discipline justification. In determining whether the facts were sufficient to raise the defense, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the parent. Id. ¶ 23, 748 A.2d at 450. It does not matter whether the evidence was presented by the State or the defendant. See State v. Begin, 652 A.2d 102, 106 (Me. 1995). Evidence from either party may be found to generate a defense. Wilder, 2000 ME 32, ¶ 23, 748 A.2d at 450. [¶ 10] At trial, York denied that Kelly's explanation of the event had ever happened. He denied having thrown Kelly on her bed, and he disavowed any suggestion that his disciplining of Kelly caused the injury. He also asserted that he would not discipline his children by throwing them. If York's testimony were viewed in isolation, there would have been no facts giving rise to the parental discipline justification. [¶ 11] Kelly testified, however, to more than just the assault itself. She explained that she was making noise by opening her drawers, that she had been told by her father on an earlier occasion not to make such noise, and that she understood that his actions were to discipline her for that behavior. Her testimony was sufficient to give rise to a parental discipline defense if the defendant sought to make use of it. See id. ¶¶ 23-24, 748 A.2d at 450-51. Thus, the court correctly gave the instruction in response to York's request. [6] [¶ 12] Once the parental discipline justification is placed in issue, the State must disprove its existence beyond a reasonable doubt. 17-A M.R.S.A § 101(1) (1983 & Supp.2000). The issue then is whether the evidence was sufficient for the jury to have determined beyond a reasonable doubt that York was not justified in throwing Kelly on the bed causing her to hit her head on the wall. [¶ 13] The Legislature has provided that parents may use a reasonable amount of force in disciplining their children. 17-A M.R.S.A. § 106(1). [7] When a parent reasonably believes that force is necessary to prevent or punish a child's misconduct, the use of force that would otherwise constitute an assault may be excused. See id. When a parent's punishment exceeds a reasonable degree of force, however, the statutory justification does not excuse the behavior. See id. [¶ 14] In order for the defense to excuse the behavior, both the force used and the parent's belief in its necessity must be reasonable. See id. The reasonableness of the force must be measured by an objective standard. The force may be determined to be reasonable if it caused merely transient discomfort and minor temporary marks. Wilder, 2000 ME 32, ¶ 36, 748 A.2d at 453. The parent's belief in the necessity of the force is similarly measured by an objective standard: whether the parent's belief was grossly deviant from what a reasonable and prudent person would believe in the same circumstances. Id. ¶ 34, 748 A.2d at 453. [¶ 15] Thus, in order to obtain a conviction in light of York's assertion of the parental control justification, the State was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt not only that York did commit the assault, but also that: (1) the degree of physical force that York used caused physical injury greater than transient pain and/or minor temporary marks, or (2) York's belief that the force used was necessary to control Kelly's misconduct was grossly deviant from what a reasonable and prudent parent would believe necessary in the same situation. See id. ¶ 45, 748 A.2d at 455. [8] If the State disproves either or both of those elements, the justification is not available to the defendant. See 17-A M.R.S.A. § 106(1). [9] [¶ 16] Although we determine whether the parent has raised the parental discipline defense by examining the evidence in the light most favorable to the parent, when the jury has found the parent guilty of assault, thus rejecting the defense, we review the facts relating to the defense in the light most favorable to the State. See Wilder, 2000 ME 32, ¶ 46 748 A.2d at 455-56. [¶ 17] On the first element, the evidence presented by the State was sufficient to support a finding that Kelly sustained more than transient discomfort and temporary marks. After York threw Kelly against the wall, she had a lump and a bruise on the side of her head that were visible several days later. [10] After the incident, she remained withdrawn, staying alone in her room for a couple of hours. That evidence was sufficient for the jury to have concluded that Kelly endured more than transient pain and temporary marks. [¶ 18] We turn next to York's belief regarding the necessity of using such force. In analyzing the reasonableness of a parent's belief, we are guided by the statute's requirement that the force exercised by the parent be employed for the purpose of preventing or punishing the child's misconduct. 17-A M.R.S.A. § 106(1). Accordingly, in using force, the parent must maintain reasonable control over the outcome or physical consequences to the child so that the force used is designed to prevent or punish misbehavior. When a parent throws a child, however, the outcome of the initial use of force is likely to be beyond the parent's control. Once the child has been released with the force of a throw as significant as was presented here, the parent cannot be certain of where the child will land or whether the child will sustain significant pain or serious injury as a result. [11] [¶ 19] It would, therefore, be well within the province of the jury to conclude any belief held by York that throwing Kelly in order to discipline her for her conduct was not reasonable. The evidence was also sufficient for the jury to have decided that throwing a child does not represent a method of correction or a reasonable means to obtaining the child's attention and compliance, but rather represents an adult who has lost control of his own responses. [12] Thus, the jury would have been justified in finding any belief held by York that throwing Kelly was necessary to control her behavior to have constituted a gross deviation from what a reasonable and prudent parent would have deemed necessary in the same situation. [¶ 20] Moreover, the position now asserted by York was belied by his own testimony before the jury. He denied having thrown Kelly in order to discipline her because [t]hrowing my kids into walls would cause harm and pain. If the jury believed Kelly's testimony that her father picked her up and threw her onto her bed and into a wall, there was ample evidence before them, including York's own statement, from which they could conclude that any belief on York's part of the necessity of that action would have constituted a gross deviation from the considerations of reasonable and prudent parent. [¶ 21] Accordingly, the trial court did not err in denying York's motion for a judgment of acquittal.