Date, Location, Cite: 1996 MT
518 U.S. 37, 116 S. Ct. 2013
US Supreme Court
On trial for 2 counts of deliberate homicide -- defined by Montana law as
"purposely" or "knowingly" causing another's death -- defendant
claimed that extreme intoxication had rendered him "physically incapable" of
murder. Jury was told to ignore, as voluntary intoxication is non-exculpatory. He was
found guilty.
MT Supreme Ct. reversed, said Due Process required jury to consider "all
evidence."
US Supreme Court said voluntary intoxication was long established in common law as not
providing any excuse for a crime, but they filed all kinds of opinions - 4 JJ in the major
opinion, 1 separate concurring, and 3 separate dissents with overlapping concurrences, all
focusing on his mental state, not his physical incapacity.
Bottom line: Don't kill anyone while you're drunk.