Case Brief

1. HaroldSowardsII
CJ 322, Tu/Th 9:30
10/8/15
State v. Snowden
313 P.2d 706 (Idaho 1957)
1. Facts
 On Sept.22, 1956 RaymondAlienSnowdenarrivesatHiHoCluband meetsCoraLucyle
Deanand theyleave together
 Theyargue aboutwhopays the cab fare and takes her overbeside apickuptruckand
pullsouthis2 in.pocketknife andcutsher throat
 Her bodyisfoundthe nextmorning
 An autopsysurgeontestifiesthatthe voice box wascut out,there isa woundinher
neck,abdomen,twofacial lacerationsandtwoonthe back of the neck.2nd
neckwound
severedherspinal cordandcausedherdeath.Clothescutaway andher rightbreast
nipple wasmissingandthere wasvaginal lacerations.BloodtestshowsthatMrs.Dean
was intoxicateduponherdeath.
 Snowdentakes Dean’swalletandgetsa motoristtotake himto an abandonedalley
where he changesclothes.He dropsthe knife intothe sewerandthrowsawaythe
wallet.Goestoa hotel andcleansup againand throwsawayhisclothes
 Pleadsguiltytomurderinthe 1st
degree
 DistrictCourt,3rd
Judicial District,AdaCountyentersjudgmentandsentencesSnowden
to death
 Snowdenappeals
 Supreme Courtaffirmsthe decision
2. Issue
DidSnowdenhave sufficienttime todevelopadesire totake the life of the deceasedpertaining
to malice aforethought?
3. Holding
Yes,affirmed
4. Reasoning
UsingI.C. 18-4001 it saysthat murderis definedasthe unlawful killingof ahumanbeingwith
malice afterthought.Malice isimpliedforanydeliberate andcruel actagainstanothershowing
an abandonedandmalignantheart.The factsshow that thisisthe case.Trial court found
Snowden’sactsintakingMrs. Dean’slife were willful,deliberate andpremeditated.UnderIC
18-4003 and State v. Shuff todefine atestto determine if amurderispremeditated.Underthe
circumstancesthere wasnoalternative tofindingthe defendantguilty.UsingState v.Powell,it
saysthat after a guiltyplea(whichSnowdendid)the courtcan fix the punishmentunderthe

2. discretionof life imprisonmentordeath. The impositionof the deathsentence isn’tanabuse of
power.