State v. Armstrong
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The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal and refusing Defendant's requested jury instructions pertaining to the language of "directly" in S.D. Codified Laws 22-22-45 and specific intent, holding that there was no reversible error in this case.
After a jury trial, Defendant, an inmate, was found guilty of one count of threatening to commit a sexual offense. The conviction stemmed from Defendant's act of writing and mailing two letters containing threats to rape and murder a mental health therapist at the prison where Defendant was incarcerated. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction; and (2) the circuit court's instructions to the jury pertaining to the language of "directly" in S.D. Codified Laws 22-22-45 and specific intent did not prejudice Defendant.
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