Opinion ID: 2133639
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Collateral-Felony Doctrine

Text: New Mexico courts have adopted a third approach to address the concern that most second degree murders might be charged as first degree murders under the felony-murder statute, absent some limitation on the range of appropriate felonies. State v. Varela, 128 N.M. 454, 460, 993 P.2d 1280, 1286 (1999). To convict a defendant of first degree felony murder, the State must show not only a causal relationship between the felony and the homicide and that the felony is inherently or foreseeably dangerous to human life, but also that the felony was independent or collateral to the homicide. Varela, 128 N.M. at 460, 993 P.2d at 1286. As applied, this rule requires that the predicate felony not be a lesser-included offense of second degree murder, which, under New Mexico law, is knowing murder. In other words, the court asks whether, in the abstract, it is possible to commit second degree murder without committing some form of the dangerous felony   . Varela, 128 N.M. at 461, 993 P.2d at 1287. Under this analysis, it would be impossible to be convicted of felony murder if the underlying felony was aggravated assault or aggravated battery because it would be impossible to commit second degree murder without committing some form of both   . Varela, 128 N.M. at 461, 993 P.2d at 1287.