Court Opinion

ID: 9790801
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:59:42.127657+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:31.725575
License: Public Domain

DONNELLY, Judge (Specially Concurring). I join in certification of this case and in the discussion as to the sufficiency of the evidence, merger, and each of the issues discussed summarily. I agree also, as stated in State v. Osborne, 111 N.M. 654, 808 P.2d 624 (1991), and as applicable to the instant case, that where the jury instructions, taken as a whole, otherwise sufficiently specify the nature of the criminal conduct so as to indicate its unlawful nature, the instructions properly supply the element of “unlawfulness” required in Osborne. Although I concur in certification of this cause, I disagree with the rationale relied upon as the basis for certification. The majority indicates that in interpreting Osborne, a question exists as to whether “inclusion of the element of unlawfulness [is required in instructing as to the crime of criminal sexual contact of a minor (CSCM) ] even when the manner of touching is not at issue and * * * the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt it was unlawful * * Osborne discussed the issue of whether “unlawfulness” was an essential element of the charge of CSCM as defined in NMSA 1978, Section 30-9-13 (Cum.Supp.1990), and held: “[U]nlawfulness is an essential element of the offense of CSCM ... [and] the failure to instruct the jury on the essential elements of an offense constitutes fundamental error.” Id. at 662, 808 P.2d at 632. Thus, Osborne addresses the basic question of whether SCRA 1986, 14-925 has been effectively modified so as to require inclusion of an additional essential element. Additionally, SCRA 1986, 5-608(A) provides that “[t]he court must instruct the jury upon all questions of law essential for a conviction of any crime submitted to the jury.” See also State v. Bender, 91 N.M. 670, 579 P.2d 796 (1978) (failure to instruct on all of the essential elements of the crime charged is jurisdictional); State v. Cole, 153 Ariz. 86, 734 P.2d 1042 (App.Ct.1987) (fundamental error involving a jury instruction is one that goes to the foundation of the case or takes from defendant a right essential to his defense). In view of the holding in Osborne that “unlawfulness” is an essential element of the offense of CSCM, it seems clear that it is not incumbent on an individual charged with CSCM to put at issue the manner of the alleged touching where he has entered a plea of not guilty to such charge. See SCRA 1986, 14-102; see also State v. Chouinard, 96 N.M. 658, 634 P.2d 680 (1981) (burden of proof rests on state to prove each element of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 930, 102 S.Ct. 1980, 72 L.Ed.2d 447 (1982). I join in certification of this case, however, on a different ground: whether, in light of the fact that the trial court herein instructed the jury as to the offense of CSCM using UJI Crim. 14-925 as approved by the supreme court, the decision in Osborne should be given prospective effect or retroactive effect. The trial court in the present case was under a duty to give uniform criminal jury instruction 14-925, in the form prescribed at the time of trial. State v. Isiah, 109 N.M. 21, 781 P.2d 293 (1989). The trial court followed this requirement. Since the decision in Osborne determined that an additional element should be included in the jury instruction setting out the elements of CSCM and this decision was handed down after the trial in the instant case, a substantial question of law now exists as to whether the result in Osborne should be applied retroactively or only prospectively. In Huffman v. State, 775 S.W.2d 653 (Tex.Ct.App.1989), the court addressed an issue involving whether a decision declaring an instruction unconstitutional should be applied retroactively. The court held that the decision would not be given retroactive application to a case tried before the issuance of the decision. The Huffman court observed, “retroactive application of a judicial decision is not mandated by either the United States or Texas Constitutions. See e.g. Linkletter v. Walker, 381 U.S. 618, 85 S.Ct. 1731, 14 L.Ed.2d 601 (1965) (exclusionary rule); Johnson v. New Jersey, 384 U.S. 719, 86 S.Ct. 1772, 16 L.Ed.2d 882 (1966) (limiting retroactivity of Escobedo and Miranda rights); Desist v. United States, 394 U.S. 244, 89 S.Ct. 1030, 22 L.Ed.2d 248 (1969) (limiting the Katz doctrine to prospective application).” 775 S.W.2d at 663. If the decision in Osborne was intended to have retroactive application, does the ruling have retroactive application to cases, including the case at bar, which were pending on direct review at the time of the decision in Osborne? See Griffith v. Kentucky, 479 U.S. 314, 107 S.Ct. 708, 93 L.Ed.2d 649 (1987); Huffman v. State; see also James B. Beam Distilling Co. v. Georgia, — U.S. —, 111 S.Ct. 2439, 115 L.Ed.2d 481 (1991).