State v. Butler
State v. Butler
Opinion of the Court
Defendant, Gary Rowan Butler, appeals his conviction of the crime of manslaughter, under Utah Code Ann., Sec. 76-5-205 (Supp. 1975). We affirm the verdict and judgment rendered in the District Court below.
In late 1974 defendant, a police officer in St. George, Utah, became convinced that his wife was having an extramarital relationship with the victim, one Gordon Hutchings, brother of the Chief of Police in St. George. During the period of separation that followed, threats and accusations were exchanged between the parties. While off duty on February 18, 1975, defendant became convinced that his wife and the victim had been together that night. After his wife admitted to having had intercourse with Hutchings, defendant went to the home of his police sergeant and resigned but retained possession of his gun, a .357
Defendant first contends that the State must elect under which subsection of the manslaughter statute defendant was to be tried. Utah Code Annotated, 76-5—205(1) (Supp. 1975) provides:
Criminal homicide constitutes manslaughter if the actor: (a) recklessly causes the death of another; or (b) Causes the death of another under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance for which there is a reasonable explanation or excuse; or (c) Causes the death of another under circumstances where the actor reasonably believes the circumstances provide a moral or legal justification or extenuation for his conduct although the conduct is not legally justifiable or excusable under the circumstances.
The information filed in this case alleged all three subsections of the manslaughter statute. Defendant filed a motion, which was denied, to require the State to elect under which subsection of the statute it would proceed. And defendant, consistently with his pursuit to determine the specific facts upon which the State intended to rely, filed a demand for a bill of particulars, which was supplied as was an amended bill. But defendant contends that specific facts must be outlined in a bill of particulars which convey unmistakably the exact theory on which the state intends to proceed and that the state is restricted to the singularity of that theory.
It is clear that an accused must know the charge against him in order to prepare an adequate defense.
By statute the information itself may be in the disjunctive.
The defendant also contends that the court erred in excusing certain members of the jury venire without disclosing the reasons for doing so. Although defendant’s counsel was advised that he could obtain the information concerning these persons being excused from the court reporter, there is no evidence that he availed himself of the opportunity. Even if there were any improprieties involved in the jury selection, relief will only be granted on a showing that defendant was prejudiced thereby.
As to the first category, the defendant made a proffer of proof at the trial out of the presence of the jury in which the defendant stated that his wife had told him (the defendant), prior to the shooting incident, that Marvin Jones (supervisor of the victim) had told her that the victim “was just getting tired of me interfering with what he wanted to do and he was going to do what he wanted to do and he wasn’t going to take anything out (sic) of me”
Secondly, if the testimony was offered as probative of self-defense, it is not admissible under an exception to the hearsay rule
As to the second category of defendant’s contention that the trial judge erred in rulings on evidence, he claims that certain exhibits consisting of bullets and photographs allegedly of bullet holes and blood stains should not have been received in evidence because of insufficient foundation. We hold that the testimony on these exhibits was foundationally sufficient except as to Exhibit number 28 (a bullet fragment or sliver) and as to this exhibit, though it should not have been received, we hold its introduction did not have “a sub
. State v. Winters, 16 Utah 2d 139, 396 P.2d 872 (1964).
. State v. Taylor, 14 Utah 2d 107, 378 P.2d 352 (1963); see also State v. 9th Dist. Ct., 165 Mont. 300, 525 P.2d 1211 (1974).
. Utah Code Annotated, 77-21-33 (1953).
. State v. Parmenter, 74 Wash.2d 343, 444 P.2d 680 (Washington 1968); State v. Golladay, 470 P.2d 191 (Washington 1970); State v. Dixon, 479 P.2d 931 (Washington 1971); State v. Dickenson, 9 Or.App. 357, 497 P.2d 374 (1974).
.State v. Beasley, 22 Utah 2d 423, 454 P.2d 880 (1969); State v. Dodge, 12 Utah.2d 293, 365 P.2d 798 (1961).
. Transcript of Hearing at trial, pages 1390 and 1391.
. Rule 63(12) Utah Rules of Evidence allows “. . .a statement of the declarant’s then existing state of mind . . . when such mental . . . condition is an issue or is relevant to prove or explain acts or conduct of the declarant." [Emphasis added.]
.Rule 45, Utah Rules of Evidence; See also McCormick’s Handbook on the Law of Evidence (2d ed. 1973), page 440.
. Rule 4, Utah Rules of Evidence.
Concurring Opinion
(concurring):
I concur in the majority opinion and offer the further comment on the matter of the trial court’s refusal to allow hearsay evidence bearing upon the defendant’s state of mind.
Appellant argues that such evidence was offered to demonstrate that he was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance for which there was a reasonable explanation or excuse or that the circumstances were such that he was provided a moral or legal justification for his conduct. These are the very elements of the offense of manslaughter as charged and inherent upon the plaintiff to prove. Consequently, it cannot be said that there is any substantive basis for claiming error.
Further, the record reveals that the court below was liberal in allowing defendant to testify concerning the relationship of his wife with the victim and his feelings about the entire matter and such was the most probative, relevant evidence of his state of mind.
In fact, the court allowed defendant to testify, over objection, about the conversation with his wife wherein she related that the victim had threatened defendant with bodily harm. In light of this ruling allowing hearsay, the prior ruling prohibiting it, if error at all, was harmless error.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The STATE of Utah, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Gary Rowan BUTLER, Defendant and Appellant
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published