State v. Jensen

120 Utah 531, 236 P.2d 445 (1951)

Facts

The defendant, Jensen, and his wife were drinking while at a dance. Steele offered to give the couple a ride home. The defendant's wife got in Steele's car, and Steele drove away without picking up the defendant. Steele drove to a park and roughly made an indecent proposal to the defendant's wife. Jensen's wife refused, and Steele took her back to the dance. The next morning, the defendant's wife revealed what had happened the night before to her husband. The defendant then went to a tavern and told friends about the incident. He bragged that he was going to kill Steele. A friend of the defendant's helped lure Steele to the tavern, where the defendant confronted him and beat him with his fists. Jensen was a younger and larger man than Steele. Steele returned home with a gash on his mouth and temple, confused and disoriented. Steele died within two hours of the fight due to injuries obtained from the defendant. The defendant appealed his conviction, claiming he did not have the necessary intent to constitute second-degree murder and that his acts did not cause Steele's death.