Opinion ID: 2634776
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the judge's speculation about what the jury found in order to increase the basic sentence illustrates the importance of requiring a jury finding of aggravating circumstances

Text: {69} In this case, before increasing Defendant's sentence by one-third for conspiracy to commit murder, the judge stated: For the reasons pointed out by the state this was a very egregious killing. And I'm satisfied that the jury felt  and there's certainly sufficient evidence  that when [the victim] was thrown into the well he was still alive. And he was left to die there without having means of extricating himself from his predicament. The well was covered over. And the evidence before the jury and the court was that he didn't die from the blow in the head. I just see no mitigating circumstances in this case. {70} The sentencing judge both speculated about what the jury felt and weighed the evidence on a critical issue, which he ultimately relied on to increase Defendant's sentence. The issue is critical because during trial the prosecution was adamant that the evidence proved the victim was alive after being tossed into the well. The prosecution also argued vehemently that the evidence established that Defendant knew the victim was alive when he helped to toss him in the well. Defendant's version, as presented through the testimony of the investigating officer who took Defendant's statement, was that the co-defendant had killed the victim during a robbery, and that out of fear for his own life, Defendant assisted the co-defendant in tossing the lifeless body into the well. {71} Important to my analysis is the fact that the jury acquitted Defendant of first-degree premeditated murder. They found him guilty of first-degree felony murder, and perhaps as an accomplice. We do not know which because a special interrogatory is not required for accomplice liability. The speculation by the sentencing judge as to what the jury felt may not be unreasonable. However, one might also reasonably speculate that the jury had a reasonable doubt that the victim remained alive once tossed in the well. Did their acquittal of Defendant for premeditated murder mean the jury rejected the prosecutor's argument that the victim remained alive in the well with Defendant covering the well to leave the victim there to die? If so, the judge's finding that the victim was left to die there without having means of extricating himself from his predicament was inconsistent with the jury finding. Did the jury reject the prosecutor's argument that Defendant knew the victim was alive after being tossed in the well? Did the jury find Defendant's version of the events closer to the truth? Did the jury accept Defendant's version that he believed the victim was already dead when the victim was tossed in the well? Defendant's version of the events certainly is sufficient to support a conviction for felony murder under an accomplice theory, and could also explain why the jury acquitted him of premeditated murder. After all, if the prosecution was correct that the victim was alive after being tossed in the well, and that Defendant covered the well knowing the victim was alive in order to prevent the victim from getting out and saving himself, what better evidence of premeditated murder? Suffice it to say that adherence to the Sixth Amendment would have permitted the jury to clarify for the court whether it believed the victim was alive after being tossed in the well and was left there to die. Such a jury finding would constitutionally permit the sentencing judge to exercise discretion to increase the basic sentence by one-third under the provisions of Section 31-18-15.1. If the jury did not make such a finding, the very rationale relied on by the judge for increasing Defendant's sentence would not have been supported in the record and the increase would not have been permissible.