Appellant doused his wife with gasoline and lit her on fire. She suffered severe burns which left her disfigured. He was convicted of torture, in violation of Penal Code section 206, which requires two elements: the infliction of great bodily injury, and the specific intent to cause extreme pain for the purpose of revenge or any other “sadistic purpose.” The appellate court here held that substantial evidence supported the conviction. Both the victim and another witness testified that appellant forcibly held the victim while he committed the offense, and that he did nothing after he lit her on fire except watch her burn. The record viewed as a whole contained ample evidence that Baker intended to cause the victim extreme pain with the requisite intent.
Case Summaries