No. 79-116
I N THE SUPREME COURT O THE STATE O MONTANA
F F
1980
STATE O MONTANA,
F
P l a i n t i f f and A p p e l l a n t ,
-vs-
ARTEMIS D. WEESE,
D e f e n d a n t and R e s p o n d e n t .
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e Fourth J u d i c i a l District,
I n a n d f o r t h e County o f M i s s o u l a ,
The H o n o r a b l e James B. W h e e l i s , J u d g e p r e s i d i n g .
C o u n s e l o f Record:
For Appellant:
Hon. Mike G r e e l y , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l , H e l e n a , Montana
R o b e r t Deschamps, 111, County A t t o r n e y , M i s s o u l a ,
Montana
F o r Respondent :
S m i t h , Connor & Van V a l k e n b u r g , M i s s o u l a , Montana
Submitted on B r i e f s : August 1, 1980
Decided : 9 1 0 -60
cab,twg.&*my-
Clerk
M r . C h i e f J u s t i c e F r a n k I. H a s w e l l d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n o f t h e
Court.
D e f e n d a n t A r t e m i s D a r r e l l Weese was c h a r g e d w i t h s e x u a l
a s s a u l t on a 9 - y e a r o l d f e m a l e c h i l d . A t the conclusion of the
prosecution's case-in-chief, the t r i a l judge dismissed t h e act i o n
o n t h e g r o u n d t h a t s e x u a l c o n t a c t had n o t been p r o v e d as a m a t t e r
o f law. The S t a t e a p p e a l s . We r e v e r s e .
T h e e v i d e n c e i s c l e a r and u n c o n t r a d i c t e d . The v i c t i m , a
9-year o l d female, l e f t t h e home o f h e r b a b y s i t t e r and w e n t t o
defendant's residence. She k n o c k e d o n d e f e n d a n t ' s d o o r and he
l e t her in. Shortly thereafter, defendant p u l l e d her onto h i s
lap, p u l l e d up h e r s h i r t and b e g a n r u b b i n g h e r b e l l y and c h e s t
b u t d i d n o t make c o n t a c t w i t h h e r n i p p l e s . Defendant o f f e r e d her
a d o l l a r i f he c o u l d c o n t i n u e t h e p h y s i c a l c o n t a c t . She r e f u s e d ,
g o t o f f h i s l a p and l e f t h i s h o u s e .
After the incident, t h e v i c t i m was e x t r e m e l y u p s e t and
r e l a t e d t h e i n c i d e n t t o h e r b a b y s i t t e r and l a t e r t o h e r m o t h e r .
Upon s e e i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t a c o u p l e o f days l a t e r a t a r o o t b e e r
stand, t h e v i c t i m a g a i n became a g i t a t e d and a s k e d h e r m o t h e r t o
t a k e h e r home. H e r m o t h e r t h e n c a l l e d t h e s h e r i f f and t h i s p r o s e -
c u t i o n ensued.
D e f e n d a n t was c h a r g e d w i t h s e x u a l assault, a felony, as
s p e c i f i e d i n s e c t i o n 45-5-502, MCA, i n the D i s t r i c t Court of
M i s s o u l a County. S p e c i f i c a l l y he was c h a r g e d w i t h k n o w i n g l y s u b -
j e c t i n g a m i n o r c h i l d t o sexual c o n t a c t w i t h o u t consent by
r u b b i n g h e r s t o m a c h and t r y i n g t o f e e l her chest.
T h e c a s e came on f o r t r i a l b e f o r e a j u r y . A t t h e con-
clusion of the prosecution's case-in-chief, d e f e n d a n t moved t o
d i s m i s s t h e c a s e f o r l a c k o f e v i d e n c e of e i t h e r touching o r
a t t e m p t i n g t o touch a sexual part. The t r i a l j u d g e o r a l l y
g r a n t e d t h e m o t i o n p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 46-16-403, MCA, on t h e
g r o u n d t h e r e was no e v i d e n c e o f s e x u a l c o n t a c t , an e l e m e n t o f t h e
crime charged, and n o e v i d e n c e o f an a t t e m p t .
Subsequently, some t h r e e weeks l a t e r , the t r i a l judge
e n t e r e d w r i t t e n f i n d i n g s o f f a c t and c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w t o t h e
e f f e c t t h a t t h e acts o f the defendant d i d not c o n s t i t u t e contact
w i t h e i t h e r sexual o r i n t i m a t e parts, and t h e r e f o r e t h e r e was n o
evidence o f sexual assault. Further, t h e r e was no a t t e m p t p u r -
s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 45-4-103, MCA, b e c a u s e t h e r e was n o d i r e c t u n e -
quivocal a c t toward such c o n t a c t o r expanding t h e a r e a o f c o n t a c t ,
because d e f e n d a n t abandoned h i s e f f o r t , and b e c a u s e t h e S t a t e d i d
not request t h a t t h e c a s e be s u b m i t t e d t o t h e j u r y o n a l e s s e r
in c l u d e d o f f e n s e .
The S t a t e has a p p e a l e d f r o m t h e d i s m i s s a l .
The f i n d i n g s and c o n c l u s i o n s i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e t r i a l court
c o n s t r u e d s e x u a l c o n t a c t t o be l i m i t e d t o a t o u c h i n g o f t h e a n a l
o r g e n i t a l areas o f a male o r female o r t h e b r e a s t o f a female.
T h e s o l e i s s u e on a p p e a l i s whether the foregoing
e v i d e n c e c o n s t i t u t e s p r o o f o f " s e x u a l c o n t a c t " w i t h i n t h e meaning
o f t h e sexual a s s a u l t s t a t u t e ( s e c t i o n 45-5-502, MCA).
The c r i m e o f s e x u a l a s s a u l t i s d e f i n e d i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t
i n t h i s language:
"A p e r s o n who k n o w i n g l y s u b j e c t s a n o t h e r n o t h i s
spouse t o any sexual c o n t a c t w i t h o u t c o n s e n t
commits the o f f e n s e o f sexual assault." Section
4 5 - 5 - 5 0 2 ( 1 ) , MCA.
" S e x u a l c o n t a c t " u n d e r M o n t a n a l a w i s d e f i n e d as
follows:
" ' S e x u a l c o n t a c t ' means any t o u c h i n g o f t h e
sexual o r o t h e r i n t i m a t e p a r t s o f t h e person o f
another f o r t h e purpose o f arousing o r gra-
t i f y i n g the sexual d e s i r e of e i t h e r party."
S e c t i o n 4 5 - 2 - 1 0 1 ( 5 4 ) , MCA.
Does t h i s s t a t u t o r y d e f i n i t i o n o f "sexual c o n t a c t " encom-
p a s s t h e r u b b i n g o f t h e b e l l y and c h e s t o f a p r e p u b e s c e n t f e m a l e
child?
I n construing the statute, the intention of the legisla-
t u r e i s t o be p u r s u e d i f p o s s i b l e . S e c t i o n 1-2-102, MCA. The
i n t e n t i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t u r e m u s t f i r s t be d e t e r m i n e d f r o m t h e
p l a i n m e a n i n g o f t h e w o r d s u s e d and i f t h e m e a n i n g o f a s t a t u t e
c a n be so d e t e r m i n e d , c o u r t s may n o t go f u r t h e r and a p p l y a n y
o t h e r means o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . S t a t e ex r e l . Z a n d e r v. Dist. Ct.
(19791, Mont. , 5 9 1 P.2d 656, 36 St.Rep.489; H a k e r v.
S o u t h w e s t e r n Ry. Co. (1978), 176 Mont. 364, 5 7 8 P.2d 724, 35
St.Rep. 523; Montana Dept. o f SRS v. Angel (1978), 176 Mont.
293, 5 7 7 P.2d 1223, 35 St.Rep. 532. B u t where, as h e r e , the
meaning o f t h e w o r d s " s e x u a l o r o t h e r i n t i m a t e p a r t s " c a n n o t be
determined from t h e language o f t h e s t a t u t e , c o u r t s must r e s o r t
t o o t h e r means o f a s c e r t a i n i n g what t h e l e g i s l a t u r e i n t e n d e d .
Accordingly, we l o o k t o t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e s t a t u t e f o r
g u i d a n c e c o n c e r n i n g i t s meaning. I t appears t o us t h a t t h e
p o l i c y behind our sexual a s s a u l t s t a t u t e i s t o c r i m i n a l i z e and
p u n i s h s e x u a l o r i n t i m a t e i m p o s i t i o n s t h a t do n o t i n v o l v e
penetration [cf. sect i o n 45-5-503 (sexual intercourse without
c o n s e n t ) and 45-5-505 ( d e v i a t e sexual conduct)]; but which
express a societal c o n c e r n f o r such i m p o s i t i o n s because t h e y p r o -
voke outrage, d i s g u s t o r shame i n t h e v i c t i m . The e n h a n c e d
p u n i s h m e n t f o r t h i s o f f e n s e when c o m m i t t e d o n a v i c t i m l e s s t h a n
1 6 y e a r s o l d b y an o f f e n d e r 3 o r m o r e y e a r s o l d e r i n d i c a t e s a n
increased l e g i s l a t i v e concern f o r c h i l d victims.
The C o m m i s s i o n Comment t o t h e s e x u a l assault statute
bears out t h i s l e g i s l a t i v e purpose. To l i k e e f f e c t , see Model
P e n a l Code, s e c t i o n 207.6, Comments.
Use o f t h e t e r m s " s e x u a l o r o t h e r i n t i m a t e p a r t s " i n d i c a -
tes t h a t the l e g i s l a t u r e d i d not intend t o r e s t r i c t the crime t o
a t o u c h i n g o f t h e g e n i t a l i a o f e i t h e r sex o r a t o u c h i n g o f a
female's breast, b u t instead intended t o give t h e terms a broader
application. I n keeping w i t h t h e focus o f sexual assault statu-
t e s on t h e o u t r a g e , d i s g u s t o r shame e n g e n d e r e d i n t h e v i c t i m ,
o t h e r c o u r t s have h e l d t h a t t h e t e r m " i n t i m a t e p a r t s " i n such
s t a t u t e s i n c l u d e t h e b u t t o c k s ( I n t h e M a t t e r o f D a v i d M. (1978),
93 Misc.2d 5 4 5 , 4 0 3 NYS2d 1 7 8 ) , the hips (Matter of Welfare o f
Adams ( 1 9 7 9 ) , 2 4 Wash.App. 517, 6 0 1 P.2d 995), and t h e p r e p u -
bescent chest o f a 7-year o l d g i r l ( S t a t e v. Turner (1978), 33
I n v i e w o f t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e s t a t u t e and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s
by o t h e r c o u r t s o f the term "sexual or other intimate parts" i n
similar statutes, we c o n s t r u e t h e r u b b i n g o f t h e be1 l y and c h e s t
o f a 9-year o l d g i r l b y an a d u l t m a l e f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f g r a -
t i f y i n g h i s s e x u a l d e s i r e s as p r o h i b i t e d s e x u a l c o n t a c t w i t h i n
t h e meaning o f t h e s t a t u t e . Here t h e f a c t t h a t defendant l i f t e d
t h e g i r l ' s s h i r t t o make t h e c o n t a c t and o f f e r e d h e r money t o be
a l l o w e d t o c o n t i n u e i s e v i d e n c e t h a t h i s p u r p o s e was g r a t i f i c a -
t i o n o f h i s sexual desires.
T h e u n c o n t r a d i c t e d e v i d e n c e i f b e l i e v e d b y t h e j u r y was
s u f f i c i e n t t o s u s t a i n a c o n v i c t i o n o f sexual assault. The
D i s t r i c t C o u r t was i n e r r o r i n g r a n t i n g d e f e n d a n t ' s m o t i o n f o r
dismissal .
T h i s cause i s remanded t o t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t o f M i s s o u l a
County f o r t r i a l c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h i s opinion.
Chief Justice
0
J ,s t ces