Court Opinion

ID: 9687853
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 16:51:33.498944+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:32.370229
License: Public Domain

Kelly, Justice
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I agree with the majority opinion that there was no evidence which would justify the return of a verdict of not guilty by reason of mental illness and would reverse on that ground. I would not, however, remand the case for a new trial on all issues. This case was tried to the court without a jury. In a trial de novo, the evidence would presumably be substantially the same and therefore judicial economy should dictate that a complete new trial could be pointless. More importantly, a trial de novo would re*120quire that family witnesses go through the ordeal of another trial with nothing to be served by it. The defendant had a fair trial; the prosecution had its day in court. The trial judge should now determine whether or not the defendant is guilty or not guilty of aggravated assault or some lesser included offense. After a trial de novo, the trial judge could do no more than that. I would remand the case for a new trial for a determination by the court below on that single issue.1

 It should be noted that Minn. St. 632.06 facially provides that if this court reverses a judgment in a criminal case, “it shall either direct a new trial, or that the defendant be absolutely discharged, as the case may require.” Because a remand for a determination on a single issue would, in my opinion, comply with the statute’s seemingly restricted limitations, no comment on the question of whether that statute deals with substantive or procedural matters is necessary. If it deals with the former, it is the responsibility of the legislature, but making determinations in procedural matters is the responsibility of the judiciary.