Opinion

State v. Bock

  • 80 Idaho 296
  • 328 P.2d 1065
  • 1958 Ida. LEXIS 215
Court
Idaho Supreme Court
Filed
Jul 30, 1958
Status
Published
Author
Keeton
On the bench
Keeton, Porter, Smith, McQuade
Cited by
69 cases
Authority
More cited than 5.3%

Abrogated by State v. Dennis John Halseth, 157 Idaho 643 (2014)

stating, in dicta, that when one neither specifically refuses nor consents, he will not be deemed to have refused

How later courts described this case

  • stating, in dicta, that when one neither specifically refuses nor consents, he will not be deemed to have refused
  • practice of requiring jury to answer special questions should not be encouraged, except where specified by statute

Written by the judges who cited it.

Later courts went against this

  • Abrogated by State v. Dennis John Halseth, 157 Idaho 643 (2014)

    80 Idaho 296, 309 , 328 P.2d 1065, 1073 (1958), abrogated by State v. Halseth, 157 Idaho 643, 646 , 339 P.3d 368, 371
    Idaho Supreme CourtDec 2, 2014medium confidenceRead it
  • Questioned by State v. Cliett, 96 Idaho 646 (1975)

    Although State v. Bock was not mentioned in State v. Barwick, the continuing validity of this passage from Bock is subject to serious doubt in light of the Barwick decision.
    Idaho Supreme CourtFeb 25, 1975Read it

The opinion

KEETON, Chief Justice

(dissenting).

I concur in the conclusion that the judgment of conviction should be reversed. I am not in agreement with the holding that certain evidence received was properly admitted. Nor do I think that defendant can be now tried under the negligent homicide statute, Sec. 49-1101, I.C. This statute by its terms does not include the offense of manslaughter when the death of another is caused by one driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. If defendant were so driving, and death resulted to another by reason of such drunken driving, defendant is guilty of manslaughter. He violated a positive statute forbidding him so to drive, which violation is not covered by the negligent homicide statute.

“Where one commits an act expressly forbidden by law and thereby causes the death of another, such person may be convicted of involuntary manslaughter.” State v. Scott, 72 Idaho 202 , 239 P.2d 258, 263 .

The crimes of manslaughter and negligent homicide are criminal offenses defined by separate statutes. The violation of one does not include the violation of the other. *312 Further, the accused was never given a preliminary examination or held to answer for the crime of negligent homicide.

Under Sec. 49-352, I.C., a person suspected by a police officer of driving a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated condition, placed under arrest, and requested to submit to a chemical test, may refuse so to do and the statute expressly provides that under such circumstances, the test shall not be given.

The majority opinion holds that such refusal to submit to a chemical test may be received in evidence against the accused. I consider this ruling clearly erroneous. No person suspected of a crime can be required to furnish evidence on which to base a charge against himself, or to further his prosecution. Nor is he required to cooperate with prosecuting officials.

The receiving in evidence of defendant’s refusal to submit to a blood test is, in my opinion, reversible error. Objection to such evidence should be sustained. One cannot be convicted of a crime for claiming a right open to all persons.

Regardless of the statute, I do not think that any doctor, technician, police officer, or any other person has the right to stick sharp instruments into the body of any accused, against his will, to secure evidence, and any person so doing without the voluntary consent of the accused is, in my opinion, guilty of battery.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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