State v. Joss, 55260

Decision Date17 October 1973
Docket NumberNo. 55260,55260
Citation211 N.W.2d 320
PartiesSTATE of Iowa, Appellee, v. Richard Wallace JOSS, Appellant.
CourtIowa Supreme Court

Michael W. Fay and John C. Platt, Cedar Rapids, for appellant.

Richard C. Turner, Atty. Gen., Fred M. Haskins, Asst. Atty. Gen., and William Faches, County Atty., for appellee.

Submitted to MOORE, C.J., and REES, REYNOLDSON, HARRIS and McCORMICK, JJ.

MOORE, Chief Justice.

Defendant appeals from conviction and sentence for the crime of assault with intent to commit rape. The record includes substantial evidence defendant furnished a 12-year-old female considerable beer and thereafter took her into his apartment bedroom where he removed her clothing. She testified he made several attempts to have sexual intercourse with her. Others in the apartment testified defendant had the child on his bed. A doctor described her injury and expressed the opinion there had been penetration.

Defendant assigns and argues two grounds for reversal, (1) the crime of statutory rape under Code section 698.1 violates due process by creating an irrational presumption of lack of consent from the fact the girl was under 16 years of age and (2) the trial court's instruction on reasonable doubt was so elaborate, equivocal and confusing as to constitute reversible error.

I. The due process assertion made in defendant's first assignment is being raised for the first time on appeal. It was not presented in the lower court.

We have repeatedly held that ordinarily matters not raised in the trial court, including constitutional questions, cannot be effectively asserted for the first time on appeal. State v. Burtlow, Iowa, 210 N.W.2d 438, filed September 19, 1973; State v. Bruno, Iowa, 204 N.W.2d 879, 884; State v. Armstrong, Iowa, 203 N.W.2d 269, 270, 271; State v. Tokatlian, Iowa, 203 N.W.2d 116, 120 and citations in each.

II. Trial counsel did not except or object to instruction 5 being the court's definition of reasonable doubt. Issues regarding instructions not raised in the trial court are not considered on appeal. Rule 196, Rules of Civil Procedure; State v. Buchanan, Iowa, 207 N.W.2d 784, 787; State v. Beer, Iowa, 193 N.W.2d 530, 532; State v. Carstens, Iowa, 182 N.W.2d 119, 120, 121; State v. Gilmore, Iowa, 181 N.W.2d 145, 146, 147; State v. Brown, Iowa, 172 N.W.2d 152, 159.

Defendant's two assigned errors present no issue for this court of review to consider.

We find no reversible error. We believe the whole record reveals defendant...

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4 cases
  • State v. Pardock
    • United States
    • Iowa Supreme Court
    • February 20, 1974
    ...failure to object. State v. Brandt, 182 N.W.2d 916, 917 (Iowa 1971); State v. Beer, 193 N.W.2d 530, 532 (Iowa 1972); and State v. Joss, 211 N.W.2d 320, 321 (Iowa 1973). This assignment is without III. Defendant also contends it was reversible error to refuse his motion to segregate witness ......
  • State v. Willer, 55996
    • United States
    • Iowa Supreme Court
    • May 22, 1974
    ...on the exception taken. By failing to make timely objections to instruction 9, defendant has preserved no error for appeal. State v. Joss, Iowa, 211 N.W.2d 320, 321; State v. Buchanan, Iowa, 207 N.W.2d 784, 787 and citations in Defendant's lower court conviction and sentence must stand. Aff......
  • State v. Johnson, 55318
    • United States
    • Iowa Supreme Court
    • March 27, 1974
    ...constitutional issue is here voiced for the first time. Consequently it need not be accorded appellate review. See State v. Joss, 211 N.W.2d 320, 321 (Iowa 1973); State v. Nepple, 211 N.W.2d 330, 333 (Iowa In any event, the arguments here advanced were resolved adverse to defendant in State......
  • State v. Mathias, 56548
    • United States
    • Iowa Supreme Court
    • March 27, 1974
    ...questions, cannot effectively be asserted for the first time on appeal. State v. Raue, 214 N.W.2d 162 (Iowa 1974); State v. Joss, 211 N.W.2d 320 (Iowa 1973). This situation is within that rule. Defendant's failure to raise the issue below precludes him from raising it II. Evidence of intent......

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