Court Opinion

ID: 9704271
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:29:16.30384+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:59.496468
License: Public Domain

CARTER, Justice
(concurring specially).
I concur in the result, but my reasons for determining that there was no error in failing to submit lesser included offenses *302are quite different from those stated in the opinion of the court.
I disagree with those decisions which hold that a defendant who presents an alibi defense may not also request that lesser included offenses meeting the statutory test be submitted to the jury. Notwithstanding the alibi defense, the State is required to prove all elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt including those elements of the greater offense which are dissimilar from the elements of the lesser offense. There is no reason either legally or logically why a jury in such cases may not reject the defendant’s alibi theory, reject the State’s evidence with respect to the dissimilar elements, but accept the State’s evidence as to the common elements. Anytime that a jury is legally and logically free to do this, the lesser included offenses should be submitted.
I find no error in the present case, however, because in spite of the contrary suggestion in State v. Powers, 278 N.W.2d 26, 28 (Iowa 1979), I do not believe that, under the revised criminal code, the offenses of aggravated assault or simple assault meet the statutory test of offenses necessarily included in a charge of attempted murder as defined in Iowa Code section 707.11 (1983).