Court Opinion

ID: 9467207
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 01:41:46.901105+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:40:13.689289
License: Public Domain

BRIGHT, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
Although I would concur in all other parts of the majority opinion, I cannot agree with the court’s resolution of the lesser included offense issue. Because I believe the trial court committed prejudicial error in refusing to instruct the jury as to the offense of assault by striking, beating, or wounding, I would reverse the conviction and remand for a new trial.
The majority recognizes that assault by striking, beating, or wounding, 18 U.S.C. § 113(d) (1976), is the equivalent of common law battery. See United States v. Knife, 592 F.2d 472, 482 (8th Cir. 1979); United States v. Big Crow, 523 F.2d 955, 958 (8th Cir. 1975), cert. denied, 424 U.S. 920, 96 S.Ct. 1126, 47 L.Ed.2d 337 (1976); United States v. Stewart, 568 F.2d 501, 504-05 (6th Cir. 1978). This simple battery is the proper lesser included offense whenever the Government proves a charge of assault with a specific intent by evidence of actual physical contact. See United States v. Knife, supra, 592 F.2d at 482.
As used in 18 U.S.C. § 113, the term assault has a broader meaning than at common law. “From the language of § 113, it is manifest that Congress employed the word ‘assault’ to include battery.” United States v. Eades, 615 F.2d 617, 622 n.5 (4th Cir. 1980); see United States v. Chaussee, 536 F.2d 637, 644 (7th Cir. 1976); accord United States v. Anderson, 425 F.2d 330, 333 (7th Cir. 1970). Under 18 U.S.C. § 113(a) where there is uncontested evidence of a battery, an assault with intent to commit rape is in effect a battery with the specific intent to commit rape. In such a case, the crime of simple battery is a necessarily included lesser offense.
Because assault by beating is a lesser included offense of assault with intent to commit rape, defendant would be entitled to an instruction if
the proof on the element or elements differentiating the two crimes is sufficiently in dispute so that the jury may consistently find the defendant innocent of the greater and guilty of the lesser included offense[.] [United States v. Brischetto, 538 F.2d 208, 209 (8th Cir. 1976).]
Accord United States v. Klugman, 506 F.2d 1378, 1380 (8th Cir. 1974); United States v. Thompson, 492 F.2d 359, 362 (8th Cir. 1974). See also Keeble v. United States, 412 U.S. 205, 208, 93 S.Ct. 1993, 1995, 36 L.Ed.2d 844 (1973).
In the instant case the element of “intent to commit rape” differentiates the two offenses. Iron Shell testified that he was drunk and could not remember the assault. The proof of striking and beating of the victim remained undisputed.
If the jury could conclude that the Government did not prove an intent to commit rape, the choice of the lesser included offense under the facts was that of assault by striking, beating, or wounding. The simple assault instruction given by the district court did not fit the undenied facts and therefore did not afford the jury a proper choice of a lesser included offense. The failure to instruct on this lesser included offense constituted error. Under the record in this case, I believe that error prejudiced the defendant.