State v. Galvin, No. 84-427

Docket NºNo. 84-427
Citation514 A.2d 705, 147 Vt. 215
Case DateJune 27, 1986
CourtUnited States State Supreme Court of Vermont

Page 705

514 A.2d 705
147 Vt. 215
STATE of Vermont
v.
Donna GALVIN.
No. 84-427.
Supreme Court of Vermont.
June 27, 1986.

Page 706

William D. Wright, Bennington County Deputy States Atty., Bennington, for plaintiff-appellee.

Katherine A. Hayes, Bennington County Public Defender, Bennington, for defendant-appellant.

Before ALLEN, C.J., and HILL, PECK, GIBSON and HAYES, JJ.

GIBSON, Justice.

Defendant Donna Galvin appeals from her conviction, after a jury trial, of two charges of simple assault on a police officer, in violation of 13 V.S.A. §§ 1023(a)(1) and 1028. Defendant asserts that she was entitled to an instruction permitting the jury to conclude that her voluntary intoxication negated both her intent to commit simple assault under § 1023 and the specific intent to assault a police officer, resulting in an enhanced sentence under § 1028. We agree with defendant's latter argument, and reverse.

Defendant became intoxicated while at a private residence. After she began "engaging in self-destructive behavior," a friend called the local rescue squad, which took the defendant to the emergency room of a local hospital. Trooper James Baker accompanied the rescue squad to the hospital in his cruiser and remained at the hospital while defendant was being examined.

[147 Vt. 216] After about ten minutes, defendant left the examining room and began running toward the emergency room exit, wearing a hospital gown. When Trooper Baker attempted to block her exit, she allegedly struck him in the temple with her fist, and she was put in handcuffs. Trooper Baker subsequently assisted two nurses who were attempting to restrain defendant from banging her head on the floor. While the officer was attempting to place a piece of gauze over her mouth, she allegedly bit his finger. The testimony established that defendant was extremely intoxicated during the time these events occurred. She testified at trial that she did not recall the events of that evening and did not remember any encounter with Trooper Baker at the hospital.

At the conclusion of the State's case and again at the close of her defense, defendant moved for acquittal on grounds that her intoxication negated the general intent required for simple assault under 13 V.S.A. § 1023(a)(1), as well as the specific intent required to invoke an enhanced sentence under 13 V.S.A. § 1028. The court denied these motions and refused to instruct the jury that it could consider defendant's drunkenness in its deliberations on the charges. The jury returned verdicts of guilty on both counts, and the...

To continue reading

Request your trial
6 practice notes
  • State v. Brillon, No. 05-167.
    • United States
    • Vermont United States State Supreme Court of Vermont
    • March 19, 2010
    ...§ 1028, setting a higher penalty if the crime was against a law enforcement officer, served "simply as an enhanced penalty provision." 147 Vt. 215, 217, 514 A.2d 705, 707 ¶ 25. The State agrees that if defendant had a prior conviction for domestic assault and consequently had been charged w......
  • State v. Roy, No. 87-536
    • United States
    • Vermont United States State Supreme Court of Vermont
    • January 13, 1989
    ...that the charge was fatally defective because it omitted an element of the offense found in this Court's decision in State v. Galvin, 147 Vt. 215, 514 A.2d 705 (1986). In Galvin, this Court held that the charge of simple assault on a police officer included as an element that the defendant ......
  • Roy v. Coxon, No. 1260
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit)
    • June 29, 1990
    ...Roy Page 388 knew, or had good reason to believe, the person he was assaulting was a law enforcement officer. See, e.g., State v. Galvin, 147 Vt. 215, 217-18, 514 A.2d 705, 707 (1986). Though the court adverted to a similar knowledge element in connection with its instructions on self-defen......
  • State v. Dennis, No. 86-339
    • United States
    • March 3, 1989
    ...272 (1981) (defendant, charged with violation of 13 V.S.A. § 1024(a), entitled to instruction on intoxication); see also State v. Galvin, 147 Vt. 215, 217, 514 A.2d 705, 707 (1986) (knowledge element required by 13 V.S.A. § 1028 may be negated by evidence of intoxication); D'Amico, 136 Vt. ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
6 cases
  • State v. Brillon, No. 05-167.
    • United States
    • Vermont United States State Supreme Court of Vermont
    • March 19, 2010
    ...§ 1028, setting a higher penalty if the crime was against a law enforcement officer, served "simply as an enhanced penalty provision." 147 Vt. 215, 217, 514 A.2d 705, 707 ¶ 25. The State agrees that if defendant had a prior conviction for domestic assault and consequently had been charged w......
  • State v. Roy, No. 87-536
    • United States
    • Vermont United States State Supreme Court of Vermont
    • January 13, 1989
    ...that the charge was fatally defective because it omitted an element of the offense found in this Court's decision in State v. Galvin, 147 Vt. 215, 514 A.2d 705 (1986). In Galvin, this Court held that the charge of simple assault on a police officer included as an element that the defendant ......
  • Roy v. Coxon, No. 1260
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit)
    • June 29, 1990
    ...Roy Page 388 knew, or had good reason to believe, the person he was assaulting was a law enforcement officer. See, e.g., State v. Galvin, 147 Vt. 215, 217-18, 514 A.2d 705, 707 (1986). Though the court adverted to a similar knowledge element in connection with its instructions on self-defen......
  • State v. Dennis, No. 86-339
    • United States
    • March 3, 1989
    ...272 (1981) (defendant, charged with violation of 13 V.S.A. § 1024(a), entitled to instruction on intoxication); see also State v. Galvin, 147 Vt. 215, 217, 514 A.2d 705, 707 (1986) (knowledge element required by 13 V.S.A. § 1028 may be negated by evidence of intoxication); D'Amico, 136 Vt. ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT