R. v. Commodore, (1991) 77 Man.R.(2d) 277 (ProvCt)
Judge | Giesbrecht, P.C.J. |
Court | Provincial Court of Manitoba (Canada) |
Case Date | July 15, 1991 |
Jurisdiction | Manitoba |
Citations | (1991), 77 Man.R.(2d) 277 (ProvCt) |
R. v. Commodore (1991), 77 Man.R.(2d) 277 (ProvCt)
MLB headnote and full text
Her Majesty The Queen v. Richard John Commodore
Indexed As: R. v. Commodore
Manitoba Provincial Court
Criminal Division
Giesbrecht, P.C.J.
July 15, 1991.
Summary:
The accused was charged with taking a motor vehicle without consent (joyriding) contrary to s. 335(1) of the Criminal Code. The accused claimed that the offence was one of specific intent to which the defence of drunkenness applied.
The Manitoba Provincial Court held that the offence required proof of specific intent. The court acquitted the accused, where there was a reasonable doubt whether the accused formed the specific intent required because of his drunkenness.
Criminal Law - Topic 33
Mens rea - Crimes of specific intent v. general intent - The Manitoba Provincial Court held that the offence of taking a motor vehicle without consent (joyriding) contrary to s. 335(1) of the Criminal Code was a specific intent offence to which the defence of drunkenness applied.
Criminal Law - Topic 1684
Offences against property - Theft - Taking vehicle without consent - [See Criminal Law - Topic 33 ].
Cases Noticed:
R. v. Bernard (1988), 90 N.R. 321; 32 O.A.C. 161; 67 C.R.(3d) 113 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 9].
R. v. LaFrance (1973), 13 C.C.C.(2d) 289 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 9].
R. v. Wilkins (1964), 44 C.R. 375 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 9].
R. v. Leary (1978), 13 N.R. 592; 37 C.R.N.S. 60 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 16].
R. v. Richards (1972), 6 C.C.C.(2d) 433 (Alta. Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 20].
R. v. George (1960), 128 C.C.C. 289 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 23].
R. v. MacPherson, [1973] R.T.R. 157 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].
Director of Public Prosecutions v. Majewski (1976), 62 Cr. App. R. 262 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 33].
Calvert v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (1974), 516 S.W. 2d 646 (Ky. C.A.), refd to. [para. 34].
Murphy v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (1955), 279 S.W. 2d 767 (Ky. C.A.), refd to. [para. 34].
R. v. Campbell (1974), 17 C.C.C.(2d) 320 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [App.].
R. v. Evaglok (1980), 33 A.R. 310 (N.W.T.S.C.), refd to. [App.].
R. v. Mosier (1953), 107 C.C.C. 267 (Alta. Dist. Ct.), refd to. [App.].
R. v. Quin (1988), 90 N.R. 389; 32 O.A.C. 229; 67 C.R.(3d) 162 (S.C.C.), refd to. [App.].
R. v. Penno (1986), 18 O.A.C. 31; 30 C.C.C.(3d) 533 (C.A.), refd to. [App.].
Statutes Noticed:
Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 335(1) [para. 13].
Authors and Works Noticed:
Ashworth, Reason, Logic and Criminal Liability (1975), 91 Law Q. Rev. 102, generally [App.].
Colvin, Eric, A Theory of the Intoxication Defence (1981), 59 Can. Bar Rev. 750, pp. 768 [para. 29]; 769 [para. 32]; 772 [para. 35].
Gold, Alan D., An Untrimmed "Beard": The Law of Intoxication as a Defence to a Criminal Charge (1976), 19 Crim. Law Q. 34, p. 53 [para. 27].
Kott, Car Theft and the Offence under s. 281, Crim. Law Q. 12, generally [App.].
Quigley, Bernard on Intoxication: Principles, Policy and Points in Between (1988), 67 C.R.(3d) 168, generally [App.].
Thompson, Robert W., The Criminal Act: An Analysis (1975), 18 Crim. Law Q. 72, p. 91 [para. 26].
Thornton, Mark T., Making Sense of Majewski (1981), 23 Crim. Law Q. 464, p. 469 [para. 23].
Tremeear's Criminal Code (1990), p. 475 [para. 36].
White, Stephen, Taking the Joy out of Joy-Riding: The Mental Element of Taking a Conveyance Without Authority, [1980] Crim. L. Rev. 609, pp. 619-620 [para. 31].
Counsel:
D. Dutchin, for the Crown;
Scott P. Gray, for the accused.
This case was heard before Giesbrecht, P.C.J., of the Manitoba Provincial Court, Criminal Division, who delivered the following judgment on July 15, 1991.
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