Opinion ID: 1864317
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: nature of pecuniary loss

Text: As noted above, pecuniary loss is not an element of the crime criminal mischief. According to § 28-519(1)(a), the crime of criminal mischief is committed when one intentionally or recklessly damages another's property, regardless of pecuniary loss which may or may not result from the defendant's conduct. The function of pecuniary loss in relation to the crime of criminal mischief is establishment of the grade of the offense to determine which punishment or penalty may be imposed on conviction for criminal mischief. Although pecuniary loss is not an essential element or constituent of the criminal conduct called criminal mischief, pecuniary loss is important in a prosecution for criminal mischief because, under § 28-519(2), (3), and (4), the greater the extent of pecuniary loss, the more severe the punishment which may be imposed on conviction for criminal mischief. Similar to the preceding analysis concerning the grades of criminal mischief is this court's analysis regarding the grades of theft, namely, the grading of theft offenses under Neb.Rev.Stat. § 28-518 (Reissue 1985). As expressed in State v. Reed, 228 Neb. 645, 651-52, 423 N.W.2d 777, 781-82 (1988): By statute, crimes are classified between serious and minor offenses, all distinguished by the possible penalties that may be imposed.... Neb.Rev.Stat. § 28-518 (Reissue 1985) grades theft offenses into four different classes dependent upon the value of the thing (property) involved. For example, theft of property valued at over $1,000 is a Class III felony and theft of property valued at $100 or less is a Class II misdemeanor. In the event of a defendant's conviction in theft cases, the sentencing judge must know the value of the property as a guide to the possible maximum and minimum sentences. In jury trials, the jury must find the value of the property taken and convey that fact to the judge in its verdict. § 29-2026.01. [When the indictment charges an offense against the property of another by larceny, embezzlement, or obtaining under false pretenses, the jury, on conviction, shall ascertain and declare in its verdict the value of the property stolen, embezzled, or falsely obtained. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 29-2026.01 (Reissue 1985).] See, also, State v. Redding, 213 Neb. 887, 331 N.W.2d 811 (1983) (four grades of larceny or theft with common elements except the value of the goods stolen). In the light of our discussion about the substantive offense of criminal mischief, we point out that the grades of criminal mischief do not constitute the greater and lesser-included offenses within the crime of criminal mischief. Rather, criminal mischief is a substantive criminal offense for which, on conviction, punishment varies according to the pecuniary loss specified in the grades of the substantive offense. As noted in State v. Olsan, 231 Neb. 214, 219, 436 N.W.2d 128, 132 (1989): A lesser included offense is one which is necessarily established by proof of the greater offense. State v. Colgrove, 197 Neb. 375, 376, 248 N.W.2d 780, 781 (1977). To be a lesser-included offense, the elements of the lesser offense must be such that it is impossible to commit the greater offense without simultaneously committing the lesser offense. State v. Lovelace, 212 Neb. 356, 322 N.W.2d 673 (1982). Regarding the grades of criminal mischief as a violation of § 28-519, existence of pecuniary loss and the extent or amount of pecuniary loss, specified in § 28-519(2), (3), and (4), are questions for the fact finder. Cf., State v. Hayes, 187 Neb. 325, 190 N.W.2d 621 (1971) (value of property involved in grand larceny-theft; jury question); State v. Weik, 206 Neb. 217, 292 N.W.2d 289 (1980) (value of property is a fact question for the jury in a prosecution for grand larceny-theft). A specific monetary amount, alleged in conjunction with pecuniary loss resulting from criminal mischief in violation of § 28-519, informs the court and a defendant that the prosecution involves a felony and potential felony punishment on conviction for criminal mischief. Thus, on a reading of § 28-519, the criminal mischief statute, it is clear that different grades of criminal mischief depend on pecuniary loss, that is, the amount of monetary damage caused by the criminal mischief. However, § 28-519 does not prescribe a method to determine pecuniary loss. In State v. Weik, supra , and State v. Carroll, 186 Neb. 148, 181 N.W.2d 436 (1970), this court held that the rules for establishing value in civil cases are applicable to distinguish between grand and petit larceny, that is, the grades for the crime designated theft. Pierce suggests that pecuniary loss in reference to criminal mischief should be ascertained by the rule governing damages recoverable in a civil action for injury to personal property, namely, the rule expressed in Chlopek v. Schmall, 224 Neb. 78, 396 N.W.2d 103 (1986). In Chlopek, we enunciated a rule which, in substance, allowed recovery of damages determined by the reasonable cost of repair for damage to personal property, provided, if the damaged property could not be repaired, or if the cost of repair exceeded the fair market value of the damaged item, the property's lost market value determined the amount of damages recoverable. Chlopek also authorized recovery of damages for lost use of personal property during repair or until a suitable replacement was obtained for the unrepairable property. If the rule expressed in Chlopek were transposed into § 28-519(1)(a), that is, a case of criminal mischief based on intentional or reckless damage to another's property, the State's prima facie case would have to include evidence of the reasonable cost of repair and market value for the damaged property. However, damaged property, which is the subject of § 28-519(1)(a), is not restricted to personal property, but may include real property as well. Also, by its very nature, damaged real estate may defy repair or an estimate of repair; for example, agricultural grassland damaged by vandalism as a form of criminal mischief. Reference to market value, before and after the criminal mischief, may be a standard, and sometimes the only standard, to determine pecuniary loss involving the illustrative grassland inasmuch as repair of the real property is impossible. Still other property, such as a tree in a public park, may be damaged or destroyed. The before and after value of the park, with and without the damaged or destroyed tree, is an impracticable determinative of damage. In the example of the damaged or destroyed tree in a public park, perhaps a more appropriate determinative of damage is the reasonable replacement cost of the damaged or destroyed tree. At other times, various forms of pecuniary loss caused by criminal mischief are not practicably expressible in terms of the restitutory measures for loss and recoverable damages in civil actions because the property damaged may lack a readily ascertainable market or replacement value. See State v. Palmer, 207 Mont. 152, 673 P.2d 1234 (1983). Thus, the extent of pecuniary loss will necessarily depend on the nature of the property damaged by the conduct characterized as criminal mischief. As becomes readily apparent, if rules pertaining to recoverable civil damages are applied to determine pecuniary loss in a criminal mischief case, the extent of pecuniary loss will vary as the object of criminal mischief varies from case to case. Although appropriate reference to the civil rules may provide some assistance relative to ascertaining pecuniary loss from injury or damage to particular property, indiscriminate transposition of all civil damage rules for application in criminal mischief cases may create more problems than would be ostensibly solved by such transposition. All of this leads to the conclusion that there is no universal and comprehensive formula or method to determine the extent of pecuniary loss in relation to criminal mischief, namely, intentional or reckless damage to another's property in violation of § 28-519(1)(a). Therefore, we hold that pecuniary loss, used in § 28-519(2), (3), and (4), means monetary loss suffered by another as the result of the defendant's conduct which constitutes criminal mischief under § 28-519. A verdict in a criminal case must be sustained if the evidence, viewed and construed most favorably to the State, is sufficient to support that verdict. State v. Brown, 225 Neb. 418, 428, 405 N.W.2d 600, 606 (1987); State v. Robertson, 223 Neb. 825, 394 N.W.2d 635 (1986). In Pierce's case, the State introduced evidence that Lynch had sustained a monetary loss through the cost of repair for Lynch's damaged pickup. Pierce had the opportunity, either through cross-examination of the State's witnesses or by introduction of evidence in his own case, to contradict the State's evidence of pecuniary loss or otherwise show that Lynch's monetary loss was not in the extent or degree asserted by the State. The evidence was sufficient, under proper instruction, to support a verdict against Pierce on the issue of felony pecuniary loss. All instructions, read conjunctively, must correctly state the law, adequately state the issues, and not mislead the jury. State v. Ryan, 226 Neb. 59, 409 N.W.2d 579 (1987). A trial court, whether requested or not, must instruct the jury on the law of the case, and failure to do so constitutes prejudicial error. State v. Clayburn, 223 Neb. 333, 389 N.W.2d 314 (1986). In view of the characterization or definition we have used concerning pecuniary loss in reference to criminal mischief in violation of § 28-519, the court's instruction on the grade of Pierce's criminal mischief is incorrect. The instruction did not conform with the meaning of pecuniary loss, which we have set forth above, and permitted the jury to speculate about various losses, including a loss of a commercial interest or anything else which involved economic loss. Consequently, the instruction in Pierce's case was incomplete and misleading, constituting prejudicial error.