State vs. Lehman
Annotate this Case
The case in question involves Dale Edward Lehman, Jr., who was convicted for knowingly permitting a minor to ingest methamphetamine, a violation of Minnesota Statute § 152.137, subd. 2(b) (2022). Lehman appealed, arguing the state failed to provide evidence proving he knew the minor in question, identified as A.D., was under the age of 18. Lehman also argued the court failed to instruct the jury to evaluate whether he knew A.D. was underage. The appellate court affirmed the conviction, stating the statute did not necessitate proof of the defendant's awareness of the minor's age.
Lehman's case reached the Supreme Court of Minnesota, where he petitioned for a review. The Supreme Court stated it did not need to resolve the statutory interpretation issue raised by Lehman, as the circumstantial evidence was inconsistent with any rational hypothesis other than Lehman's guilt. The Court took into consideration Lehman's longstanding relationship with the minor's family, his frequent visits to their home, and his statements indicating he knew the minor was underage. The court concluded that the circumstantial evidence was sufficient to show that Lehman knew A.D. was under the age of 18 at the time he provided her with methamphetamine.
The Court, therefore, affirmed the decision of the appellate court but on different grounds, maintaining Lehman's conviction.
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.