State v. Jama

The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming the district court’s denial of Appellant’s request for a jury instruction on the defense of voluntary intoxication, holding that Minn. State. 617.23(2), the indecent-exposure statute, does not require the State to prove that the defendant had a specific intent to be lewd.Defendant was charged with indecent exposure in the presence of a minor under the age of sixteen. After concluding that the indecent-exposure statute creates a general-intent crime, the district court denied Defendant’s request that the jury be instructed on the defense of voluntary intoxication because that defense only applies to specific-intent crimes. The jury found Defendant guilty. The court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the offense of indecent exposure is a general-intent crime, and therefore, the court of appeals did not err when it affirmed the district court’s denial of Defendant’s request for a jury instruction on the defense of voluntary intoxication. View "State v. Jama" on Justia Law