Court Opinion

ID: 9689634
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 18:41:49.974666+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:50.994192
License: Public Domain

SCOTT, Justice
(dissenting).
The majority reverses on the theory that the charge of the court diluted the rule that in a criminal case the state must prove all facts beyond a reasonable doubt. This is based on the “can reasonably be construed as being” language of Minn.St. 609.341, subd. 11, which the trial court incorporated into his instructions. It is, of course, a constitutional requirement that the prosecution must prove each and every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. In re Winship, 397 U.S. 358, 90 S.Ct. 1068, 25 L.Ed.2d 368 (1970). This standard is met here. As to each count, the court charged the jury in this fashion:
“As to Count I in the Complaint, which charges criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree alleging sexual conduct with Kerry * * *, as to Count I, if you are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that on or between Friday, the 13th of February, and Sunday, the 14th of March, 1976, in the City of Burnsville, Dakota County, Minnesota, first, that the defendant intentionally touched Kerry * * *’s buttocks, or the clothing cov*502ering the immediate area of his buttocks, and secondly, that the touching could reasonably be construed as being for the purpose of satisfying the defendant’s sexual impulses, and thirdly, that at the time of the touching, Kerry * * * was at least 13 years of age but less than 16 years of age and the defendant was more than 48 months older than Kerry * * *, then you should find him guilty of the crime charged in Count I. If you are not so satisfied, you should find him not guilty.” (Italics supplied.)
As is illustrated by the instructions set out above, in charging the jury the court prefaced the instructions as to each count by stating that they must be “satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt” as to each element of the offense in order to find the defendant guilty. By charging the jury in this manner the trial court properly conveyed to them the principle that each element of the crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The entire statutory scheme dealing with sex offenses was revised by the legislature in 1975, and the phrase in question, “can reasonably be construed,” was coined therein. It has no doubt been used by many courts in many cases since that time. This opinion, therefore, may have a very far-reaching effect on the application of the sexual conduct statutes since 1975.
While I agree with the Minnesota Jury Instruction Guides (which were not in effect at the time of this trial) suggesting that the phrase “can reasonably be construed” should be eliminated in the future so as to avoid possible confusion, the instructions in this case do comply with the constitutional requirements as laid down in Winship, supra. The evidence therefore being sufficient, I would affirm the trial court.