People v. Sirico
People v. Sirico
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). It is uncontroverted that defendant, on the day of the criminal incident, consumed two large glasses (approximately 12 to 15 ounces each) of Southern Comfort whiskey and ingested a Xanax pill. Shortly thereafter, he threatened friends and neighbors with a bow and arrow, fired an arrow into the side of a truck, and then fatally shot the victim — actions that call into question defendant’s state of mind. Thus, given this record evidence and the “relatively low threshold” a defendant is required to meet for entitlement to a jury charge of intoxication, I respectfully dissent and would reverse the Appellate Division.
People v Perry (61 NY2d 849, 850 [1984]) established that “[a] charge on intoxication should be given if there is sufficient evidence of intoxication in the record for a reasonable person to entertain a doubt as to the element of intent on that basis.” Certainly, given the low evidentiary bar set for the entitlement to a charge of intoxication, that rule was subject to abuse and we have rejected conclusory and “bare assertion[s] by a defendant that he was intoxicated” (People v Gaines, 83 NY2d 925, 927 [1994]). Accordingly, there must be objective evidence in the record,
“such as the number of drinks, the period of time during which they were consumed, the lapse of time between consumption and the event at issue, whether [the defendant] consumed alcohol on an empty stomach, whether his [or her] drinks were high in alcoholic content, and the specific impact of the alcohol upon his [or her] behavior or mental state” (id.).
The record evidence in this case satisfies the rule of Perry and Gaines and may serve to negate the mens rea element of intent for murder in the second degree (see Penal Law §§ 15.25, 125.25 [1]). Thus, it was error for the trial court to deny defendant’s request for a charge of intoxication.
A trial court simply cannot forgo its obligation to properly charge a theory of defense when there is record support. Ultimately, whether a jury credits or discredits the testimony of defendant in rendering its factual determinations is a matter beyond our purview. But before reaching its final decision, the trier of fact should be presented with all relevant instructions, as supported by the record, for its due consideration.
Chief Judge Lippman and Judges Ciparick, Graffeo, Read, Smith and Pigott concur; Judge Jones dissents and votes to reverse in an opinion.
Order affirmed in a memorandum.
Opinion of the Court
OPINION OF THE COURT
Memorandum.
The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.
Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of murder in the second degree (Penal Law § 125.25 [1] [intentional murder]). The charges arose after defendant, an experienced archery hunter, shot an arrow from his compound bow towards his neighbor’s yard, fatally striking the victim. On appeal, defendant principally contends that he was entitled to an intoxication charge (see Penal Law § 15.25). That section provides, in its entirety:
“Intoxication is not, as such, a defense to a criminal charge; but in any prosecution for an offense, evidence of intoxication of the defendant may be offered by the defendant whenever it is relevant to negative an element of the crime charged.”
An intoxication charge is warranted if, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the defendant, “there is sufficient evidence of intoxication in the record for a reasonable person to entertain a doubt as to the element of intent on that basis” (People v Perry, 61 NY2d 849, 850 [1984]; see also People v Farnsworth, 65 NY2d 734, 735 [1985]). A defendant may establish entitlement to such a charge “if the record contains evidence of the recent use of intoxicants of such nature or quantity to support the inference that their ingestion was sufficient to affect defendant’s ability to form the necessary criminal intent” (People v Rodriguez, 76 NY2d 918, 920 [1990]). Although a “relatively low threshold” exists to demonstrate entitlement to an intoxication charge, bare assertions by a defendant concerning his intoxication, standing alone, are insufficient (People v Gaines, 83 NY2d 925, 927 [1994]).
We have reviewed defendant’s remaining contentions and find them to be without merit.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Thomas Sirico, Appellant
- Cited By
- 58 cases
- Status
- Published