State v. Messer, 278 Kan. 161

91 P.3d 1191 (2004) · Supreme Court of Kansas · June 25, 2004 · No. No. 90,007

Summary

The Supreme Court of Kansas affirmed Lloyd Neil Messer’s misdemeanor conviction for falsely impersonating a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent under K.S.A. 21-3824. The court held that the statute is not unconstitutionally overbroad and does not require proof of an overt act beyond the false representation or a specific intent to deceive. The court also concluded that sufficient evidence supported the conviction.

Holdings

  1. K.S.A. 21-3824 is not unconstitutionally overbroad. The statute requires a knowing false representation that one is a public officer or employee, but it does not require proof of an overt act beyond the false representation or proof of a specific intent to deceive.
  2. The evidence was sufficient for a rational factfinder to find Messer guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of false impersonation.

Questions Presented

  1. Whether K.S.A. 21-3824 is unconstitutionally overbroad because it burdens protected free speech or should be construed to require an overt act or specific intent to deceive.
  2. Whether sufficient evidence supported Messer's conviction for false impersonation.

Disposition

affirmed

Cases Cited (9)

  • State v. Conley, 270 Kan. 18, 30, 11 P.3d 1147 (2000), cert. denied, 532 U.S. 932 (2001)(followed)
  • State v. Shears, 260 Kan. 823, 837, 925 P.2d 1136 (1996)(followed)
  • State v. Moore, 269 Kan. 27, 30, 4 P.3d 1141 (2000)(followed)
  • State v. Maass, 275 Kan. 328, 64 P.3d 382 (2003)(followed)
  • State v. Seck, 274 Kan. 961, 964-965, 58 P.3d 730 (2002)(followed)
  • State v. Sweat, 30 Kan. App. 2d 756, 760, 48 P.3d 8 (2002)(followed)
  • State v. Crockett, 26 Kan. App. 2d 202, 205, 987 P.2d 1101 (1999)(followed)
  • State v. Marino, 23 Kan. App. 2d 106, 929 P.2d 173 (1996)(followed)
  • State v. Beach, 275 Kan. 603, Syl. ¶ 2, 67 P.3d 121 (2003)(followed)

Cited In (0)

No citing cases on record yet.

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