Court Opinion

ID: 9740652
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:39:36.706939+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:19.465923
License: Public Domain

Boslaugh, J.,
dissenting.
I dissent only from that part of the opinion which holds that it was error for the trial court to admit, over defendant’s objections, the testimony of the defendant’s wife, Carrie, concerning his statement that she would have to choose between the defendant and their son, Justin, and the conversation at the hospital while they were waiting for Justin to be taken into surgery.
The defendant was charged with assault in the first degree, which required the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s assault upon Justin, which clearly caused serious bodily injury, was made “intentionally or knowingly.” Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-308 (Reissue 1989).
There is substantial evidence in this case from which the jury could infer that Justin was an unwanted child so far as the defendant was concerned. The defendant made a number of statements which were inculpatory in varying degrees, but he finally admitted that he had shaken Justin vigorously when, *629according to the defendant, Justin appeared to be comatose. The evidence established that the injury had to have occurred before that time..
It may be conceded that the testimony in question was prejudicial to the defendant, as most incriminating evidence is. However, I do not agree that it was not relevant or unfairly prejudicial.
The evidence as a whole tended to prove that the defendant deliberately and intentionally shook Justin violently in an effort to stop his crying. Defendant succeeded not only in stopping the crying, but also in so permanently injuring Justin that he will be retarded for the rest of his life.
In my opinion, the testimony in question was relevant to the issue of the intent with which the act was done, and it was within the discretion of the trial court to overrule the defendant’s objections to it. I would affirm the judgment.
White, J., joins in this dissent.