CROCKETT, Chief Justice:
Peter A. Peterson appeals from his conviction by a jury of the crime of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to do bodily harm.
On the 20th of October, 1966, the victim, one Keith Magnuson, had met a Linda Skelton on west Second South in Salt Lake City; and after some preliminary negotiations, they had gone to her motel room at 325 North Second West. Subsequent occurrences therein are not material to this case except that there developed some strife and an altercation as a result of which the woman yelled "Pete." Thereupon the defendant came to the door, looked in, left and returned shortly with a hunting knife. Defendant asserts that he was only threatening Magnuson to scare him into leaving. But the incriminating fact is that, whatever else happened in connection with this occurrence, defendant made a "slashing" motion toward Magnuson with the knife from which the latter received a cut on the hand which required six stitches to close.
The points of argument made by the defendant in attempting to upset the conviction are that the essence of the crime is an intent to inflict "great" bodily harm or injury, of which there must be shown a specific intent; and that the evidence is insufficient to support a finding of those elements beyond a reasonable doubt.
It will be noted that the statute does not use the term "great" bodily harm, as urged by the defendant in his argument. Neither does the charge thereunder upon which the defendant was tried and convicted. Nor is it necessary that they do so. The essence of the offense here involved is an assault upon another with a deadly weapon with intent to do bodily harm; and no particular degree of harm is specified or required.
With respect to the intent: It is true that the State was unable to prove directly what was in the defendant's mind relative to doing harm to the victim; and that he in fact denied having any such intent. However, his version does not establish the fact, nor does it even necessarily raise sufficient doubt to vitiate the conviction. If it were so, it would lie within the power of a defendant to defeat practically any conviction which depended upon his state of mind. As against what he says, it is the jury's privilege to weigh and consider all of the other facts and circumstances shown in evidence in determining what they will believe.
Affirmed.
CALLISTER, TUCKETT, HENRIOD, and ELLETT, JJ., concur.
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