People v. Grayer
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During a bench trial, the defendant Santana Grayer was found guilty of attempted vehicular hijacking. On appeal, Grayer argued that the evidence was insufficient to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt because he was voluntarily intoxicated at the time of the incident. The appellate court affirmed the conviction, reasoning that evidence of voluntary intoxication is no longer relevant to the issue of intent, as the legislature had removed voluntary intoxication as an affirmative defense. However, it also noted that even if voluntary intoxication remained relevant, the evidence failed to establish that Grayer’s state of intoxication was so extreme that he was unable to form the requisite intent.
On review, the Supreme Court of Illinois also affirmed Grayer’s conviction, but for different reasons. The court clarified that while voluntary intoxication is no longer recognized as an affirmative defense in Illinois, it can still be considered relevant evidence at trials for specific-intent offenses like attempted vehicular hijacking. This is because a defendant's state of voluntary intoxication might affect their mental state, which is a crucial element in specific-intent crimes. However, in this case, the court concluded that the evidence was sufficient to establish that Grayer had the specific intent to commit the offense of attempted vehicular hijacking, despite his state of voluntary intoxication. The court particularly relied on the defendant's behavior during the incident, including his threats to the victim, his refusal to leave the scene, and his actions suggestive of an attempt to take control of the victim's vehicle.
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