Court Opinion

ID: 9789447
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:36:29.14259+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:22.485255
License: Public Domain

MINZNER, Judge (dissenting). I respectfully dissent. I agree that there is insufficient evidence of provocation to support the conviction but am not persuaded that the doctrine of fundamental error does not apply. I believe that Smith v. State, 89 N.M. 770, 558 P.2d 39 (1976), mandates reversal. The majority holds, in part, that the doctrine of fundamental error does not permit reversal of defendant’s conviction, based on lack of substantial evidence, because the jury instruction resulting in the conviction was not requested by the state. I am not sure that state action is a prerequisite for fundamental error, but even if it is, the ultimate decision to give or refuse requested instructions has been entrusted to the trial court judge. See NMSA 1978, Crim. P.R. 40(k) (Repl.1985). Since the trial court judge instructs the jury, I would recognize the existence of state action if it is a prerequisite. The majority appears to equate fundamental error with a denial of due process rights, which requires state action and which includes rights that can be waived. While I believe that the concept of due process will often be implicated when the doctrine of fundamental error must be applied, I understand fundamental error as a broader doctrine, which enables an appellate court to correct manifest injustice even in cases where the claim of error does not lie within an existing rule. See State v. Buhr, 82 N.M. 371, 482 P.2d 74 (Ct.App.1971). The doctrine of fundamental error in New Mexico is set out in State v. Garcia, 46 N.M. 302, 308-09, 128 P.2d 459, 462 (1942), quoting in part State v. Garcia, 19 N.M. 414, 143 P. 1012 (1914): “There exists in every court, however, an inherent power to see that a man’s fundamental rights are protected in every case. Where a man’s fundamental rights have been violated, while he may be precluded by the terms of the statute or the rules of appellate procedure from insisting in this court upon relief from the same, this court has the power, in its discretion, to relieve him and to see that injustice is not done. ... Error that is fundamental must be such error as goes to the foundation or basis of a defendant’s rights or must go to the foundation of the case or take from the defendant a right which was essential to his defense and which no court could or ought to permit him to waive. The majority in effect holds that defendant waived his right to object to lack of substantial evidence by offering the instruction on voluntary manslaughter, and because he waived that right, no fundamental error occurred. I would analyze the issues differently; first, we must determine whether fundamental error is involved and then, if not, we may determine whether the relevant right was waived. We ought not limit our discretion to correct fundamental error in an appropriate case. Whether or not the facts of this case show “fundamental error” as defined in Garcia, I am persuaded that Smith v. State, 89 N.M. 770, 558 P.2d 39 (1976), recognizes a basic right that defendant cannot waive. Cf. United States v. Morris, 612 F.2d 483 (10th Cir.1979); United States v. Scalzitti, 578 F.2d 507 (3rd Cir.1978) (requirement that a criminal verdict must be unanimous is of overriding importance and may not be waived by the parties). Our courts have held that evidence must establish every essential element of the crime charged, and whatever is essential must affirmatively appear from the record. State v. Losolla, 84 N.M. 151, 500 P.2d 436 (Ct.App.1972). The supreme court has said, further, that “it is a cardinal principle of criminal law that a jury may not be permitted to return a verdict of guilty for the commission of a particular crime when there is no evidence that such a crime was committed.” Smith v. State, 89 N.M. at 775, 558 P.2d at 44 (1976) (emphasis added). The majority rightly suggests that we ought not apply fundamental error to situations in which the values that doctrine protects are not involved. Nevertheless, I cannot distinguish between the situation in which a defendant fails to object to an instruction submitted by the state, Smith v. State, and the situation in which defense counsel tenders an instruction. If fundamental error or something analogous is applicable to the former situation, it is applicable to the latter. Although a number of jurisdictions have upheld convictions on facts similar to this case, the opinions reason that a defendant may not complain of having been convicted of a lesser offense when the evidence showed he was guilty of a higher offense. See, e.g., People v. Gottman, 64 Cal.App.3d 775, 134 Cal.Rptr. 834 (1976); State v. Mower, 317 A.2d 807 (Me.1974); Smith v. State, 222 Ark. 650, 262 S.W.2d 272 (1953); Blankenship v. Commonwealth, 193 Va. 587, 70 S.E.2d 335 (1952). The underlying rationale has been that any error benefited the defendant, who should not be allowed to complain when the jury has shown mercy. This court’s opinion in State v. Smith, 89 N.M. 777, 558 P.2d 46, rev’d on other grounds, 89 N.M. 770, 558 P.2d 39 (1976), however, cites a number of cases in which our supreme court rejected that rationale. 89 N.M. at 781-82, 558 P.2d at 50-51. The body of precedent from other jurisdictions is also less persuasive as a result of the supreme court’s decision that voluntary manslaughter is not a necessarily included offense of murder. Smith v. State. Smith v. State held that when the facts establish murder, but cannot support a conviction of voluntary manslaughter, upon acquittal of murder and conviction of voluntary manslaughter, the conviction must be reversed and defendant dismissed. Since this court must follow applicable precedents of the supreme court, State v. Scott, 90 N.M. 256, 561 P.2d 1349 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, 90 N.M. 637, 567 P.2d 486 (1977), I would reverse defendant’s conviction and remand with instructions that the charge be dismissed.