Court Opinion

ID: 9632659
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 11:21:15.908499+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:08:32.761894
License: Public Domain

LUMPKIN, Vice-Presiding Judge,
dissenting:
I commend the Court regarding the extensive research which is reflected in this opinion. However, while I agree some revision regarding our application of self defense might be warranted, the facts of this case do not present the evidentiary predicate which is required to adopt the changes proposed by the Court.
Domestic violence is appalling and each member of this Court empathizes with the victims of this degrading conduct. However, our empathy and distress with the violence which affects our society cannot be substituted for a rule of law which limits the scope of appellate review to the facts presented by the case. In addition, any rule of law must be applied equally to each citizen, regardless of gender.
The facts set forth by the Court reflect only Appellants’ version of the evidence in the case without addressing the great conflict of this evidence with the evidence presented by the State. However, Appellant’s evidence does define and restrict the nature and scope of the defense presented in this case. This evidence does not reveal the “Battered Woman Syndrome” was implicated on the night of September 23, 1984. The facts related by Appellant only raise a case of traditional self defense based on the right of self defense to resist any attempt to murder or commit a felony upon her, or the imminent threat as perceived by Appellant due to the victims threats and actions committed that night. The “Cycle Theory” is not relevant based on the evidence. However, I recognize evidence regarding the victims past trait of character for violence, which is admissible pursuant to 12 O.S.1981, § 2404(A)(2), is relevant as it goes to Appellant’s perception as a reasonable person regarding the imminence of danger of death or great bodily harm. The admissibility of this evidence does not require the adoption of the “Battered Woman Syndrome”. However, the Court appears bent upon embracing a sociological issue without regard to whether the facts support the legal concept it seeks to adopt. While I have great respect for the members of this Court, I cannot join in an abdication of the rules of appellate review in order to adopt a concept not presented on the record before the Court.
If and when a record on appeal is submitted to the Court which supports consideration of whether to adopt this type of concept as a part of the jurisprudence of this State, the Court should endeavor to adopt a rule of law which would apply equally to all citizens of the State, regardless of gender, who may be placed in a like situation. To do otherwise creates not only confusion as to its applicability but also question as to its validity if subjected to equal protection analysis. It is interesting to note the Court accurately identifies that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-3R (DSM-3R) recognizes the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. See DSM-3R, 309.89 Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. However, rather than adopting a gender neutral diagnostic criteria accepted by the entire scientific community, the Court seeks to adopt a gender specific syndrome which has acceptance by only a subsection of the scientific community. If this disorder is such that it warrants this Court to review the reasonableness factor regarding action taken in self defense, then it should be considered in a gender neutral context. *17The information supplied to this Court reveals the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, as does the proposed Battered Woman Syndrome, is a mixture of psychological and physiological symptoms which make it a medical issue. Psychologists do not have the medical training received by psychiatrists, therefore I cannot agree with the Court’s unsupported statement that we should accept only the opinions of a subgroup of members of the psychological community as the gospel on this complex issue. This statement alone raises concern regarding the validity of the Court’s determination and it creates a future problem for the Court when we are again required to determine if a proposed new “syndrome” of some type is generally accepted by the medical or scientific community.
If adoption of the proposed changes were proper in this case, I do agree that the application of the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is most appropriately addressed within the context of self defense rather than sanity at the time of the offense. Appellant’s attorney acknowledged the concept is a part of self defense during the oral argument and went further in his argument to state that there must be an imminent physical threat and delay waives the ability to raise self defense. Therefore, the Court must first look to the defense of self defense as defined by the Oklahoma Legislature in 21 O.S.1981, § 738(1), (2).
Homicide is also justifiable when committed by any person in either of the following cases:
1. When resisting any attempt to murder such person, or to commit any felony upon him, or upon or in any dwelling house in which such person is; or
2. When committed in the lawful defense of such person,...., when there is a reasonable ground to apprehend a design to commit a felony, or to do some great personal injury, and imminent danger of such design being accomplished;
The fact that the Legislature has addressed the issue of self defense within our statutory framework restricts the ability of the Court to act beyond the context of the statute. In the first instance, the language of Section 733(1) is more applicable to the facts of this case than Section 733(2). However, in discussing the provisions of Section 733(2), the statute requires “imminent danger” of the threat to the person, therefore the Court cannot change that substantive element of the defense. In addition, the statute also allows the defense when there “is a reasonable ground to apprehend” the threat. It is within the Court’s power and authority to interpret and determine the parameters of the application of a “reasonable ground to apprehend” and imminent threat to the person.
The Court has previously set a procedural guideline for expert testimony as it relates to the “Child Accommodation Syndrome”. See Davenport v. State, 806 P.2d 655 (Okl.Cr.1991). The required format for the admissibility of expert testimony adopted in Davenport should become the standard for this Court when dealing with expert testimony regarding these types of disorders. The jury is provided the expert assistance for the limited purpose that it is required, i.e. explanation of the symptoms and character of the disorder, but leaves to the trier of fact the determination whether it applies in the case being tried. In a case which requires expert testimony regarding the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or any of its subparts, this format should be utilized. While the facts of this case do not provide the evidentiary predicate for the admissibility of this type of expert testimony, I agree that in a proper case, the expert testimony could be admissible to provide guidance to the jury regarding the reasonableness of a defendants perception of a threat as set forth in Section 733 or imminent danger.
As previously stated, evidence of a victims trait of character of violence is admissible under 12 O.S.1981, § 2404(A)(2). Evidence of a victims acts of violence to a defendant could be relevant if the facts of the case require the evidence to show the reasonableness of a defendant’s perception of imminent danger when the acts which caused the homicide do not, standing alone, appear to present a reasonable ground to apprehend imminent danger. I agree with the Court that the standard of instruction, *18and for review, should be the reasonableness of a defendant’s actions as viewed by a reasonable person under the circumstances and not a generic “reasonable person”. However, the trial court must first determine if this type of evidence is relevant under the fact situation presented by the case. If it is not relevant, it is not admissible.
I must also dissent to the Court’s discussion of hearsay in the opinion beginning at subpart 4., Hearsay and the Battered Woman Syndrome. The Court cites the Oklahoma Evidence Code, the definition of hearsay, and states “Most, if not all, of the out-of-court statements which Appellant was attempting to offer were not hearsay”. However, the Court failed to state why the statements were not hearsay. Hearsay is defined at 12 O.S.1981, § 2801. The exceptions to the Hearsay Rule are contained in Sections 2803 and 2804. This Court is required to apply the substantive law as enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature, unless we find a statute violates a constitutional provision. I do not find any argument with the constitutionality of Section 2801, therefore, we are bound by its statutory language. The Oklahoma Evidence Code was drafted to clarify the rules of evidence. The Court, in its further analysis of the hearsay issue, seeks to adopt a definition of hearsay which is not contained within the statutory language. This attempt to redefine hearsay is in direct conflict with Section 2802 and will open the floodgate of attempts to introduce inadmissible hearsay pursuant to the illusive criteria set forth by the Court.
Many more questions are raised than answered by this opinion. The Court’s discussion of “reasonableness”, “imminence” and “hearsay” will be the source of much litigation and error at the trial court level for several years. This Court will be forced to address these same issues repeatedly in an effort to clear the legal quagmire which will develop as we attempt to explain what was meant by the opinion’s analysis. The role of this Court should be to resolve issues, not create them. We should provide answers to the trial courts, not more questions. While the goal of this opinion is noble, it departs from the traditional rules of appellate review and embarks the Court on a course through much turbulent water in the future.
Regretfully, the Court seems to disregard the evidence of the case in a reaching attempt to adopt a syndrome which is not applicable to the facts and does not comport with the requirements of being generally accepted in the scientific/medical community. While I agree that evidence of the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which is accepted as a standard for diagnosis in the medical community, would be relevant evidence in a proper case to provide a jury with the medical and psychological diagnostic criteria required to determine the reasonableness of a defendants actions, it is not relevant here. The appropriate resolution of the ills of society should be left to the Legislative and Executive branches of our government. This Court should restrict itself to the application of the law to the facts presented in the record. I therefore must dissent to the Court’s actions in this case.