State v. Spearman
Annotate this CaseThe State charged Defendant with violating Haw. Rev. Stat. 291E-61(a)(1) and/or (a)(3) for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (OVUII), but the complaint did not allege mens rea. During trial, Defendant moved for a judgment of acquittal and to strike all testimony about breath alcohol content. The district court interpreted this statement as a motion for judgment of acquittal as to section 291E-61(a)(3). The district court granted the motion and subsequently found Defendant guilty of violating section 291E-61(a)(1) only. The intermediate court of appeals (ICA) instructed the district court to dismiss without prejudice the portion of the complaint alleging a violation of section 291E-61(a)(1) because the charge was deficient for failing to allege mens rea. At issue on appeal was whether double jeopardy barred Defendant's re-prosecution for violating section 291E-61. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the collateral estoppel principle prohibited the State from re-litigating breath alcohol content, whether in a re-prosecution of Defendant on the section 291E-61(a)(3) method of proof, or as part of the State's evidence in a subsequent trial on the section 291E-61(a)(1) method of proof; and (2) collateral estoppel would not prohibit the State from re-charging Defendant on the section 291E-61(a)(1) method of proof.
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