RICHARD BILES, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 4th DCA | 1997-10-15
No. 96-2153
FARMER and SHAHOOD, JJ., concur.
700 So. 2d 166 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1997) Positive Treatment
Cited by 13 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

Richard Biles appeals his conviction on sexual battery charges against two children. The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed most convictions but reversed the conviction on count five for failure to give a jury instruction on battery as a lesser included offense, and vacated the habitual offender enhancement on counts one through four, remanding for resentencing.


Holding

The court reversed the conviction on count five and remanded for a new trial because battery is a permissible category 2 lesser included offense to lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault, and the evidence supported giving such an instruction. The court also vacated the habitual offender status from counts one through four and remanded for resentencing, though the trial court may reimpose life sentences and applicable mandatory minimum sentences.


Headnotes

[1] Battery is a category 2 lesser included offense to lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault or act upon or in the presence of a child.

[2] An instruction on a permissive lesser included offense must be given when the pleadings and the evidence demonstrate that the lesser offense is included in the offense ch…

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Key Quotes

“The elements of battery are actually and intentionally touching or striking another person against the will of that person.”

Establishes the statutory definition of battery under Florida law that the trial judge misapplied.

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Facts & Procedural History

Biles was charged with three counts of sexual battery upon one child, one count of sexual battery and one count of lewd, lascivious, or indecent assau…

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Opinion of the Court
DELL, Judge.

DELL, Judge.

Richard Biles appeals his conviction of three counts of sexual battery upon one child, one count of sexual battery and one count of lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault upon another child, and one count of committing a lewd act in the presence of either or both of the children. He contends that the trial court erred when it denied his request for a jury instruction on battery as a lesser included offense of count five, lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault upon a child. He also contends that the trial court erred when it sentenced him as an habitual felony offender in counts one through four, sexual battery upon a child. We reverse and remand for a new trial on count five of the information, and we vacate the habitual offender status from counts one through four and remand for resentencing.

In count five, the State charged appellant with lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault upon a child, in that he “did handle, fondle, or make assault upon [the victim], ... to-wit: did touch the breast of [the victim] with his hand.” The child testified that appellant touched her breast. When appellant’s counsel requested a jury instruction on battery as a lesser included offense, the court stated, “The issue of battery means consent. There is no issue of consent of indecent act. I’m not going to give it.... Well, battery is not a lesser, obviously, because there was no touching.”

The elements of battery are actually and intentionally touching or striking another person against the will of that person. Fla. Stat. § 784.03 (1991). The Florida Standard Jury Instructions provide that battery is a category 2 lesser included offense to lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault or act upon or in the presence of a child. Fla. Std. Jury Instr.,(Crim.) at 291 (July 1995). “An instruction on a permissive lesser included offense must be given Vhen the pleadings and the evidence demonstrate that the lesser offense is included in the offense charged.’” Amado v. State, 585 So. 2d 282 (Fla.1991)(quoting Wilcott v. State, 509 So. 2d 261, 262 (Fla.1987)). Therefore, the trial court should have instructed the jury on battery because the facts alleged in the information and the evidence presented satisfy the elements of that lesser included offense.

The State concedes that the trial court erred when it sentenced appellant as an habitual offender in counts one through four for capital sexual battery upon a child. We agree and vacate his sentence as an habitual offender. See McLain v. State, 612 So. 2d 664 (Fla. 2d DCA 1993).

Accordingly, we affirm appellant’s convictions on counts one through four and count six as charged in the information. We reverse appellant’s conviction on count five and remand for a new trial on this charge. As to counts one through four, we reverse the sentences imposed and remand with instructions to delete the habitual offender status. On remand, the trial court may, however, again impose life sentences on appellant for counts one through four and such mandatory minimum sentences as may be appropriate.

AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART and REMANDED.

FARMER and SHAHOOD, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Rosen v. State, 940 So. 2d 1155 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006)
    …dant was “entitled to receive a jury instruction on battery as a lesser included offense ... where ... the facts alleged in the information and the evidence presented at trial satisfied] all of the elements of the crime of battery”); Biles v. State, 700 So. 2d 166, 167 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997). Even if the verdicts were incorrect, invited error would apply. Defense eoun-sel may not “sandbag the trial judge by requesting and approving an instruction they know ... will result in an automatic reversal, if given.” Web…
  • Cowboy Sherrer v. State, 898 So. 2d 260 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005)
    …AHN and BENTON, JJ., concur. . First-degree misdemeanor battery is a lesser-included offense of lewd and lascivious molestation. Belser v. State, 854 So. 2d 223 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003); Cook v. State, 736 So. 2d 739 (Fla. 5th DCA 1999); Biles v. State, 700 So. 2d 166 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997).…
  • King v. State, 839 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
    …ategory two lesser included offense of indecent assault, and the information and evidence support the lesser included offense is within the charged offense, the court was required to give the instruction upon appellant’s request. See Biles v. State, 700 So. 2d 166, 167 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997). Here, both the pleadings and the evidence supported a battery instruction. Reversed and remanded for a new trial. WARNER, SHAHOOD and TAYLOR, JJ., concur.…

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