Opinion ID: 2590362
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Definitions of firearm

Text: NRS 193.165 provides an additional penalty for offenders who use a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime. NRS 193.165(6) provides various definitions of deadly weapon to enhance an offender's sentences for robbery with use of a deadly weapon. Those definitions are also relevant in determining whether a person had possession or gained possession of a deadly weapon during a burglary for purposes of the aggravated sentencing range provided in NRS 205.060(4). Funderburk v. State, 125 Nev. ___, 212 P.3d 337 (2009). NRS 193.165(6)(a) through (b) defines deadly weapon as an instrument that is used in the manner in which it was designed to cause substantial bodily harm or death or, under the circumstances in which it was used, is likely to cause substantial bodily harm or death. NRS 193.165(6)(c) further defines deadly weapon to include [a] dangerous or deadly weapon specifically described in NRS 202.255, 202.265, 202.290, 202.320 or 202.350. [1] Therefore, NRS 193.165(6)(c) expressly incorporates the definitions set forth in those particular statutes. The five statutes referenced in NRS 193.165(6)(c) each pertain to crimes involving weapons. One of the referenced statutes, NRS 202.265, which is entitled, in part, [p]ossession of dangerous weapon on property or in vehicle of school or child care facility, makes possession of certain weapons on school grounds a gross misdemeanor. NRS 202.265(1)(e) prohibits, for example, possession of [a] pistol, revolver or other firearm. NRS 202.265(5)(b) defines the term firearm, [f]or the purposes of [that] section, as any device from which a metallic projectile, including any ball bearing or pellet, may be expelled by means of spring, gas, air or other force. The district court in this case used NRS 202.265(5)(b)'s definition of firearm in the deadly weapon instruction. In total, the court used definitions from NRS 193.165(a), NRS 193.165(b), NRS 202.265(5)(b), and NRS 202.253(2). [2] First, Berry challenges the district court's use of the latter two statutes, arguing that the instruction on firearm definitions was erroneous because he was not charged with possession or use of a firearm. Rather, he was charged with possession and use of a deadly weapon. However, because the term deadly weapon is broad, and firearms are included within the meaning of that term, we disagree with Berry's argument. NRS 202.265(5)(b) and NRS 202.253(2) define firearm, and both definitions are included within NRS 193.165(6)'s definitions of deadly weapon. In particular, NRS 202.265(5)(b) (defining the term firearm as any device from which a metallic projectile, including any ball bearing or pellet, may be expelled by means of spring, gas, air or other force) is specifically referenced in NRS 193.165(6)(c). See NRS 193.165(6)(c) (providing that `deadly weapon' means: ... (c) [a] dangerous or deadly weapon specifically described in ... NRS 202.265 ...). Therefore, for enhancement purposes, a firearm under NRS 202.265(5)(b) is a deadly weapon. Further, NRS 202.253(2)'s definition of firearm also amounts to a deadly weapon under NRS 193.165(6) because, under NRS 202.253(2), a firearm is any device designed to be used as a weapon from which a projectile may be expelled through the barrel by the force of any explosion or other form of combustion. Naturally, a device that is constructed to be a weapon and is designed to expel projectiles falls within the purview of NRS 193.165(6)(a)'s definition of deadly weapon because it is designed to cause substantial bodily harm or death. In conclusion, because both of the firearm definitions that the district court used to instruct the jury are encompassed within NRS 193.165(6)'s definitions of deadly weapon, we conclude that the district court did not err. Moreover, Berry asserts that these definitions are inapplicable to this case because (1) NRS 202.265 is limited to weapons possessed on school grounds, and (2) NRS 202.253 is not one of the statutes referenced by NRS 193.165(6). We reject Berry's arguments. With respect to Berry's challenge to the district court's use of NRS 202.265, we are convinced that the limitation expressed in NRS 202.265(5) applies only to the crime it creates and does not limit its use as a definition of a deadly weapon. Moreover, in Funderburk v. State , we established that NRS 193.165(6) includes in its definitions any weapon described in the statutes listed in paragraph (c). 125 Nev. ___, 212 P.3d 337 (2009). As a result, we reiterate our conclusion from Funderburk and hold that any weapon that meets the description set forth in NRS 202.265(5)(b) supports a deadly weapon finding. Accordingly, we conclude that the district court did not err by instructing the jury using language from NRS 202.265(5)(b)'s definition of firearm. Turning to Berry's challenge to the district court's instruction using NRS 202.253(2)'s definition of firearm, we conclude that the district court did not err. As explained above, NRS 193.165(6)(a)'s definition of deadly weapon encompasses firearm under NRS 202.253(2)'s definition, as a firearm is a device that is designed to cause substantial bodily harm or death. In addition, NRS 202.253(2) is the general firearm definition for purposes of NRS 202.253 through 202.369. Thus, as a general definition, NRS 202.253 applies to every other statute referred to by NRS 193.165(6)(c) that employs the term firearm. See NRS 193.165(6)(c) (referencing NRS 202.255, 202.265, 202.290, 202.320, and 202.350). Because the general firearm definition of NRS 202.253(2) applies to all of the statutes referenced in NRS 193.165(6)(c), we conclude that NRS 202.253 is incorporated into the statutes that NRS 193.165(6)(c) references and, therefore, that definition is applicable to define a deadly weapon. In sum, we conclude that the district court did not err by using the firearm definitions from NRS 202.265(5)(b) and NRS 202.253(2) to define deadly weapon for Berry's burglary-while-in-possession-of-a-deadly-weapon and robbery-with-use-of-a-deadly-weapon charges.