Opinion ID: 2001270
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Aiding and Abetting Manslaughter

Text: We next consider Jackson's assignments of error regarding his conviction for manslaughter. Jackson argues that the State presented insufficient evidence to warrant the reading of the aiding and abetting instruction and that there was insufficient evidence to sustain Jackson's conviction for manslaughter. The common-law distinction between principal and aider and abettor has been abolished; a person who aids, abets, procures, or causes another to commit any offense may be prosecuted as if he were the principal offender. See Neb.Rev.Stat. § 28-206 (Reissue 1995). Aiding and abetting requires some participation in a criminal act which must be evidenced by some word, act, or deed. No particular acts are necessary, nor is it necessary that the defendant take physical part in the commission of a crime or that there be an express agreement to commit the crime. Mere encouragement or assistance is sufficient. See State v. Larsen, 255 Neb. 532, 586 N.W.2d 641 (1998). Evidence of mere presence, acquiescence, or silence is not enough to sustain the State's burden of proving a defendant guilty under an aiding and abetting theory. Id. A person may be an aider or abettor in involuntary manslaughter because of a common purpose to participate in unlawful acts, the natural and proximate result of which is to kill another, but when persons are present and are aiding and assisting each other in the commission of unlawful acts which proximately result in the death of another, all such persons are in fact principals. Puckett v. State, 144 Neb. 876, 15 N.W.2d 63 (1944). One who intentionally aids and abets the commission of a crime may be responsible not only for the intended crime, if it is in fact committed, but also for other crimes which are committed as a natural and probable consequence of the intended criminal act. State v. Mantich, 249 Neb. 311, 543 N.W.2d 181 (1996). The question then is whether the evidence was sufficient to warrant the giving of an aider and abettor instruction and whether there was sufficient evidence to sustain Jackson's conviction for manslaughter. While it is not necessary that Jackson took physical part in the attack on Knapp or that he expressly agreed to the attack, his participation must be evidenced by some word, act, or deed. We therefore proceed to examine the evidence regarding Jackson's activity on the date of the assault. On appellate review, a criminal conviction must be sustained if the evidence, viewed and construed most favorably to the State, is sufficient to support the conviction. State v. Larsen, supra . In determining whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain a conviction in a jury trial, an appellate court does not resolve conflicts in the evidence, pass on the credibility of witnesses, evaluate explanations, or reweigh the evidence presented to the jury, which are within the jury's province for disposition. Id. Jackson claims he was in the process of assisting or attempting to assist Caudell, who had confronted Knapp; that he did nothing more than follow Caudell across the street; and that in attempting to break up the fight between Caudell and Knapp, he was attacked by Haseltine. Jackson asserts that his actions were in self-defense, that he did not aid and abet Caudell, and that his mere presence at the fight did not constitute aiding and abetting. Jackson argues that there was no evidence he procured or caused Caudell to commit the offense against Knapp and that Caudell was the person who assaulted Knapp. Jackson claims that he did nothing to encourage Caudell to assault Knapp and that there was no evidence regarding his words or conduct which rose to the level of either aiding or abetting Caudell to assault Knapp. We disagree. One who intentionally aids or abets the commission of a crime is responsible not only for the intended crime, but also for other crimes which are committed as a natural and probable consequence of the intended criminal act. State v. Mantich, supra . Both Jackson and Caudell crossed the street and assaulted Knapp and Haseltine. In Jackson's statements after the incident, there is evidence from which the jury could have found that Jackson and Caudell had a common purpose of assaulting Knapp and Haseltine with their fists and feet. One eyewitness saw Jackson and Caudell standing in close proximity to one another and to Knapp and Haseltine. Jackson bragged at a party that he and Caudell jumped Knapp and Haseltine because they were giving us shit ... snubbing us. Jackson stated that Knapp and Haseltine did not have a chance to get their fists up, that words and looks had been exchanged, and that he and Caudell just walked up to Knapp and Haseltine and started hitting them. In State v. Thomas, 210 Neb. 298, 314 N.W.2d 15 (1981), Ralph E. Thomas was charged with assault in the first degree. In his assignments of error, Thomas claimed that the evidence presented was insufficient to find him guilty as an aider and abettor. The beating of a police officer was a group-like brawl committed by Thomas and his two brothers, and attributing particular injuries to particular actions was very difficult. We concluded however that Thomas, as a participant in the conspiratorial effort to harm the officer, was liable for all the victim's injuries, relying on Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946): `[S]o long as the partnership in crime continues, the partners act for each other in carrying it forward. It is settled that an overt act of one partner may be the act of all without any new agreement specifically directed to that act. ...' State v. Thomas, 210 Neb. at 301-02, 314 N.W.2d at 18. Mere encouragement or assistance is sufficient for a defendant to be prosecuted for aiding and abetting. See State v. Sanders, 241 Neb. 687, 490 N.W.2d 211 (1992). Giving all reasonable inferences to the State, which we are required to do, see State v. Larsen, 255 Neb. 532, 586 N.W.2d 641 (1998), the jury could have determined from the evidence that Jackson's participation in the assault on Haseltine could also be characterized as assistance or encouragement to Caudell's assault on Knapp. The jury could also have reasonably determined that Knapp's death was a natural and expected consequence of the beating inflicted by Caudell. Prior to the jury's deliberations, the trial court gave an instruction on aiding and abetting. Although Jackson was not the person who struck the blows to Knapp, it could reasonably be inferred from his words, acts, and deeds that he assisted and participated in the assault on Knapp. Accordingly, there was sufficient evidence of aiding and abetting to give such instruction to the jury and to sustain Jackson's conviction for manslaughter. Jackson also argues that the State did not prove the first two elements set forth in instruction No. 10, which stated: Either or both of the Defendants can be guilty of Manslaughter ... even if he personally did not commit every or any act involved in the crime so long as he aided someone else to commit it. A Defendant aided someone else if: 1. A Defendant encouraged or intentionally helped another person to commit the offense of Manslaughter ... and 2. A Defendant knew that the person intended to commit or expected the other person to commit an unlawful act ... and 3. The offense of Manslaughter [was] committed by that other person. Jackson claims that based on instruction No. 10, there was no evidence which satisfied the first two elements of the instruction. Jackson states there was no evidence that would indicate in any manner that he knew Caudell was going to commit the crime of manslaughter. A person commits manslaughter if he kills another without malice, either upon a sudden quarrel or unintentionally while in the commission of an unlawful act. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 28-305 (Reissue 1995). The unlawful act committed by Caudell was the assault on Knapp. Thus, Jackson aided and abetted Caudell if it could reasonably be determined by the trier of fact that Jackson encouraged or intentionally helped Caudell to commit the assault on Knapp. It is the duty of the trial judge to instruct the jury on the pertinent law of the case, whether requested to do so or not, and an instruction or instructions which by the omission of certain elements have the effect of withdrawing from the jury an essential issue or element in the case are prejudicially erroneous. State v. Parks, 253 Neb. 939, 573 N.W.2d 453 (1998). Before an error in the giving of an instruction can be considered as a ground for reversal of a conviction, it must be considered prejudicial to the rights of the defendant. State v. Derry, 248 Neb. 260, 534 N.W.2d 302 (1995). That part of instruction No. 10 given by the trial court which stated that Jackson aided Caudell if he encouraged or intentionally helped another person to commit the offense of Manslaughter was incorrect. Jackson correctly points out that one cannot intentionally help to commit the offense of manslaughter in the sense that manslaughter is an unintentional killing. However, we conclude that this instruction was not prejudicial to Jackson. Instruction No. 10 created a greater burden on the State to prove intent, which is not an element of the crime of manslaughter. The instruction as given did not withdraw any of the essential elements of the crime of manslaughter from the jury's consideration. In order to find Jackson guilty of manslaughter, the jury did not have to determine that Jackson knew Caudell intended to commit the offense of manslaughter. There is no requirement of intention to kill in committing manslaughter. The distinction between second degree murder and manslaughter is the presence or absence of intent to kill. State v. Jones, 245 Neb. 821, 515 N.W.2d 654 (1994), overruled on other grounds, State v. Burlison, 255 Neb. 190, 583 N.W.2d 31 (1998). The final question is whether Jackson should get a new trial on the manslaughter charge. Jackson's conviction for manslaughter involved his participation in the assaults on Haseltine and Knapp. Since the erroneous admission of evidence of the prior assaults prejudiced Jackson's conviction for assault, we conclude that this evidence affected the jury's determination regarding Jackson's involvement in the death of Knapp. We cannot say beyond a reasonable doubt that had Jackson been acquitted of the assault on Haseltine, the jury would still have convicted Jackson of manslaughter. The two incidents are so directly related that the prejudice from the erroneous admission of evidence of the prior assaults clearly taints both convictions.