2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 53a - Penal Code › Chapter 952 - Penal Code: Offenses › Section 53a-134. - Robbery in the first degree: Class B felony.

(a) A person is guilty of robbery in the first degree when, in the course of the commission of the crime of robbery as defined in section 53a-133 or of immediate flight therefrom, he or another participant in the crime: (1) Causes serious physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or (2) is armed with a deadly weapon; or (3) uses or threatens the use of a dangerous instrument; or (4) displays or threatens the use of what he represents by his words or conduct to be a pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or other firearm, except that in any prosecution under this subdivision, it is an affirmative defense that such pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or other firearm was not a weapon from which a shot could be discharged. Nothing contained in this subdivision shall constitute a defense to a prosecution for, or preclude a conviction of, robbery in the second degree, robbery in the third degree or any other crime.
(b) Robbery in the first degree is a class B felony provided any person found guilty under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of which five years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court.
(1969, P.A. 828, S. 136; P.A. 75-411, S. 1; P.A. 80-442, S. 22, 28; P.A. 92-260, S. 58.)
History: P.A. 75-411 removed reference to dangerous instruments in Subsec. (a)(2) and added Subdivs. (3) and (4); P.A. 80-442 added proviso in Subsec. (b) specifying that five years of sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced, effective July 1, 1981; P.A. 92-260 amended Subsec. (a) to specify that “the crime” is “the crime of robbery as defined in section 53a-133”.
Cited. 172 C. 74; 175 C. 569; 182 C. 511; Id., 595; 185 C. 473; 186 C. 179; 190 C. 822; 196 C. 305; Id., 309; Id., 430; 199 C. 47; Id., 207; Id., 273; Id., 377; Id., 591; 200 C. 310; Id., 465; 201 C. 34; 202 C. 39; Id., 86; 203 C. 494; 204 C. 52; Id., 240; 207 C. 412; 212 C. 31; 214 C. 454; 218 C. 479; 230 C. 109; 231 C. 43; 236 C. 112; 241 C. 413; 242 C. 125; Id., 648. Defendant cannot be convicted of robbery in the first degree when defendant is the owner of the property that he took from another since the state must prove that defendant committed larceny as an element of the crime, and larceny requires that the property be taken from its owner. 317 C. 338.
Cited. 8 CA 545; 9 CA 373; 10 CA 659; 11 CA 699; Id., 709; 12 CA 268; Id., 655; 13 CA 133; Id., 708; 14 CA 472; 15 CA 34; Id., 197; 19 CA 423; 20 CA 521; 22 CA 216; 28 CA 581; judgment reversed, see 226 C. 601; 32 CA 38; 35 CA 201; Id., 839; 36 CA 59; Id., 448; judgment reversed, see 236 C. 342; 38 CA 20; Id., 581; Id., 868; 39 CA 45; 40 CA 250; 41 CA 147; 43 CA 61; Id., 801; 45 CA 32; 46 CA 684; Id., 691. Court cannot properly instruct jury of elements of section without first instructing jury of elements of Sec. 53a-133; sufficiency of evidence to convict defendant as a principal in robbery. 51 CA 541. Jury was within its right to conclude that defendant, armed with dangerous instrument, entered apartment unlawfully with intent to commit a robbery, but once inside, did not do anything which constituted a substantial step in a course of conduct planned to culminate in a robbery or that he abandoned his attempt. 87 CA 251.
Subsec. (a):
Subdiv. (2): “Miranda” warning not a ritualistic formula and words which convey its substance are sufficient. 167 C. 309. Cited. 169 C. 242; Id., 683; 170 C. 332. Subdiv. (2): Participation of two persons not necessary, so Wharton's rule is inapplicable. 171 C. 105. Cited. Id., 395; Id., 610; 172 C. 22; Id., 586; 174 C. 16; Id., 129; Id., 142; Id., 452; 175 C. 250. Subdiv. (2): Requirement of weapon's operability is imposed by Sec. 53a-3(6). Id., 569. Subdiv. (4): Essential element of Subsec. is defendant's representation of having a firearm, not the firearm's operability; affirmative defense of inoperability does not violate due process. Id. Cited. 176 C. 239; Id., 367; 177 C. 335; Id., 370; Id., 379; Id., 637; 178 C. 116; Id., 287; Id., 427; Id., 564; Id., 634; Id., 689; 179 C. 46; Id., 576; 180 C. 557. Subdiv. (1): A lesser included offense of felony murder. Id., 599. Cited. 181 C. 237; Id., 388; Id., 426; 182 C. 262; Id., 366; Id., 430; Id., 449; Id., 533; Id., 595; 183 C. 280; 185 C. 163; Id., 260; Id., 402; Id., 607; 186 C. 1; Id., 222; Id., 261; Id., 426; 187 C. 681; 188 C. 372; Id., 406; Id., 432; Id., 515; 189 C. 114; Id., 183; Id., 268; Id., 337; Id., 429; 191 C. 564; Id., 670; 192 C. 618; 193 C. 48; Id., 238; Id., 457; Id., 526; Id., 602; 194 C. 89; 195 C. 183; Id., 326; Id., 444; Id., 552; Id., 567; 196 C. 36; Id., 115; Id., 122; Id., 157. Subdiv. (4): Essential element is the representation by defendant that he has a firearm, not the specific identifying characteristic of the weapon alleged in the information. Id., 395. Cited. Id., 567; Id., 685; 197 C. 106; Id., 115; Id., 413; Id., 629; 198 C. 68; Id., 203; Id., 285; Id., 314; Id., 328; Id., 490; Id., 592; Id., 680; 199 C. 5; Id., 62; Id., 146; Id., 255; Id., 473; 200 C. 9; Id., 44; Id., 350; Id., 523; 201 C. 289; Id., 333; 202 C. 1; Id., 259; Id., 349; 203 C. 81; Id., 159; Id., 445; Id., 506; 204 C. 330; Id., 377; 205 C. 673; 206 C. 40; Id., 621; Id., 657; 207 C. 152; Id., 323; Id., 619; 208 C. 38; Id., 202; Id., 365; 209 C. 416; Id., 458; 210 C. 199; 211 C. 18; Id., 398; 212 C. 6; Id., 387; 213 C. 422; 214 C. 38. Subdiv. (4): Judgment of Appellate Court in 19 CA 111 reversed. 215 C. 538. Cited. Id., 695; 216 C. 282; Id., 367; Id., 801; 217 C. 419; 218 C. 85; Id., 151; Id., 432; 219 C. 93; Id., 269; Id., 489; 220 C. 385; Id., 652; 221 C. 447; Id., 643; 222 C. 117; 223 C. 243; Id., 299; Id., 595; Id., 635; 224 C. 711; 225 C. 270; 226 C. 601; 227 C. 363; 228 C. 234; Id., 384; 230 C. 351; Id., 686; 232 C. 455; Id., 691; Id., 707; 233 C. 44; 235 C. 67; Id., 402; Id., 748; Id., 802; 236 C. 342; 238 C. 784; 239 C. 235; 240 C. 317; 241 C. 1; Id., 165; Id., 322; 242 C. 93; Id., 296; 247 C. 662. Subdiv. (4): Because there were two separate and distinct transactions, defendant could be convicted of attempted robbery in the first degree and robbery in the first degree without offending the prohibition on double jeopardy. 299 C. 640. Defendant may properly be convicted of and punished for the crimes of felony murder with the predicate offense of robbery, and the crime of robbery in the first degree under Subdiv. (1) without violating the prohibition against double jeopardy. 302 C. 287.
Cited. 1 CA 584; Id., 642; Id., 697; 2 CA 127; 6 CA 247; Id., 697; 7 CA 1; Id., 27; Id., 95; Id., 149; Id., 217; Id., 445; Id., 503; Id., 528; Id., 715; Id., 726; 8 CA 119; Id., 399; Id., 454; Id., 467; Id., 491; Id., 566; Id., 667; 9 CA 79; Id., 275; Id., 313; Id., 548; Id., 587; Id., 648; 10 CA 50; Id., 103; Id., 330; Id., 404; Id., 474; Id., 624; Id., 643; 11 CA 80; Id., 397; 12 CA 163; Id., 217; Id., 662; 13 CA 76; Id., 554; 14 CA 67; Id., 108; Id., 463; Id., 493; Id., 657; 15 CA 161; Id., 416; Id., 502; Id., 539; Id., 586; 16 CA 38; Id., 206; Id., 284; Id., 390; Id., 402; 17 CA 50; Id., 359; Id., 490; Id., 648; 19 CA 111; judgment reversed, see 215 C. 53; Id., 179; Id., 554; Id., 695; 20 CA 27; Id., 212; Id., 467; Id., 513; Id., 643; Id., 665; 21 CA 48; Id., 244; Id., 299; 22 CA 98; Id., 329; 24 CA 27; judgment reversed, see 220 C. 652; Id., 152; Id., 316; Id., 518; Id., 729; 25 CA 104; Id., 255; Id., 565; Id., 646; 26 CA 114; Id., 242; 27 CA 601; Id., 654; 28 CA 64; Id., 161; Id., 402; Id., 444; Id., 474; Id., 612; Id., 645; Id., 721; 29 CA 207; Id., 274; Id., 421; Id., 679; 30 CA 68; 31 CA 614; Id., 614; Id., 660; 32 CA 21; Id., 193; Id., 476; 33 CA 143; Id., 184; Id., 288; Id., 311; Id., 457; Id., 468; Id., 849; 34 CA 223; Id., 261; Id., 610; 35 CA 279; Id., 699; Id., 740; Id., 781. Subdiv. (3): Robbery in the second degree pursuant to Sec. 53a-135(a)(1) is not a lesser included offense of robbery in the first degree pursuant to this section. Id., 839. Cited. 36 CA 401; Id., 556; Id., 718; Id., 831; 37 CA 35; Id., 219; Id., 482; Id., 589; Id., 619; Id., 672; Id., 733; 39 CA 63; Id., 82; Id., 384; Id., 478; Id., 502; Id., 579; Id., 617; Id., 840; 40 CA 21; Id., 328; Id., 526; 41 CA 47; Id., 391; Id., 515; Id., 695; 42 CA 472; Id., 669; Id., 810; 43 CA 142; 44 CA 26; Id., 280; Id., 476; Id., 561; 45 CA 6; Id., 270; Id., 390; Id., 658. A showing that victim had custody or control over appropriated property is sufficient to support a charge of larceny; testimony of sole witness sufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. 49 CA 486. Subdiv. (3) requires that evidence show either actual use of a dangerous instrument or its threatened use, demonstrated by either an actual display or words combined with an overt display of the threatened instrument. 71 CA 585. Court's failure to instruct jury on the affirmative defense of inoperability of gun involved in the incident at issue, as provided for in text of statute relative to charge of robbery in the first degree, constituted plain error and violated defendant's constitutional right to fair trial. Id., 865. Subdiv. (3) requires use or threatened use of a dangerous instrument. 81 CA 367. Evidence was sufficient to sustain a conviction under Subdiv. (4). 83 CA 489. Subdiv. (4): There is no statutory monetary value of stolen property included as element of robbery in the first degree. 86 CA 507. Trial court did not err in permitting state to file an amended information charging defendant with robbery in the second degree in violation of Sec. 53a-135(a)(2) after trial had commenced in matter where defendant had originally been charged with robbery in the first degree in violation of Subdivs. (2), (3) and (4); because amended information charged lesser included offenses included within offenses that were charged in the original information, no due process violation arose. 87 CA 750. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt does not mean proof beyond all possible doubt; while every element must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in order to find defendant guilty of the charged offense, each of the basic and inferred facts underlying the conclusion need not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 93 CA 257. Subdiv. (4): Defendant's statement to victim that she “wouldn't get hurt” if she did what she was told to do, combined with victim's testimony that defendant was holding something under his jacket and pointing it in her direction, provided sufficient evidence to support defendant's conviction of robbery in the first degree. Id., 650. Subdiv. (4): Defendant need only represent by his words or conduct that he possesses a firearm, and need not actually possess a firearm, to be convicted under Subdiv. 141 CA 814. Subdiv. (1): The act of punching victim in the jaw provided sufficient evidence to satisfy statutory requirement of intent to cause the victim serious injury. 154 CA 271. No constitutional violation against defendant's right not to be placed in double jeopardy exists for convictions under Subdivs. (1) and (3) because a charge under Subdiv. (1) is a separate and distinct offense from a charge under Subdiv. (3). 170 CA 254. Subdiv. (2): Conviction as accessory to attempted robbery in the first degree does not require state to demonstrate that accused intended for an accomplice to possess a deadly weapon. 184 CA 24. Section provides for both principal and accessorial liability, therefore a jury instruction regarding accessory liability with regard to robbery in the first degree is unnecessary. 192 CA 68.