ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction on grounds that the victim voluntarily consumed drugs and alcohol that left her mentally incapacitated. As a result, François Khalil, 24, who was accused in the case, will get a new trial. At issue was that the woman had consumed a narcotic prescription pill and drank five shots of alcohol of her own accord before meeting Khalil the night of the assault. The ruling sent ripples of concern through the Legislature about changing the law. The current law limits mental incapacitation to the drugs or alcohol being administered to the victim without consent or agreement.
