People v. Atkins
Supreme Court of California
18 P.3d 660 (2001)
Relevant factsFree
After telling friends he planned to burn a rival's house, Atkins set fire to overgrown weeds using gasoline near the victim's canyon home while intoxicated, and the resulting fire spread out of control; he claimed the fire was accidental and that he intended no harm, and the court of appeal held arson required specific intent, making his voluntary intoxication evidence wrongly excluded.
IssueFree
Whether a criminal defendant may introduce evidence of voluntary intoxication to negate the existence of general criminal intent.