Court Opinion

ID: 9739503
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:16:29.674989+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:12.690324
License: Public Domain

DeBRULER, Justice,
concurring.
According to statute, L.C. 35-42-4-1, the crime of rape can be a Class A felony if it is committed by threatening the use of deadly force. Here the verbal part of the threat was "I am going to tie you up and I have a knife." There was also a physical part to the threat. The man grabbed her, they struggled, something was thrown over her head, and she was thrown to the floor. The intruder had a strong and painful hold around her neck as he spoke. When the two parts are considered together, I agree that there is sufficient evidence of the element of threat of deadly force. I continue to be convinced, however, that a threat to use deadly force manifested only by words would not be sufficient evidence of such element. See Bazile v. State (1989), Ind., 540 N.E.2d 49, 50-51 (DeBruler, J., dissenting).