Opinion ID: 1375362
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Defendants' Motion to Dismiss

Text: The defendants argued that, prior to 1986, conspiracy to commit the class A felony of murder was a class B felony, that the statute of limitations for a class B felony was three years, and that, therefore, conspiracy to commit murder was unquestionably subject to a three year limitations period. The defendants maintained that, even though HRS § 705-526 (grading of criminal conspiracy) was itself never amended, subsection (1) of the statute, after the '86 and '87 amendments, no longer applied because the new homicide offenses were no longer classified. The defendants submitted, therefore, that subsection (2) of the statute became the relevant provision. In other words, the defendants' position was that, because it is of the same grade and class as the most serious offense which is an object of the conspiracy, HRS § 705-526(2), conspiracy to commit murder is an unclassified felony, and, because it is a felony without specification of class, [it] is a class C felony. HRS § 706-610 (1993). With respect to the applicable statute of limitations, the defendants argued that the three-year limitation period applied because conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree: (1) falls within the category of any other felony, HRS § 701-108(c) (1993); and (2) is not listed as one of the offenses specifically exempted. Relying on HRS § 705-525 (1993) (duration of conspiracy), the defendants contended that the three-year statute of limitations began to run on August 4, 1989, the date of Kamanu's death, arguing that, because the sole object of the conspiracy was to murder Kamanu, the conspiracy terminated upon the death of Kamanu. In opposition, the prosecution asserted that, because conspiracy is of the same grade and class, HRS § 705-526(2), as second degree murder, conspiracy to commit second degree murder was also exempted from any limitations period. The prosecution therefore took the position that prosecution may commence at any time. Relying on HRS § 705-502 (1993), which states that an attempt to commit a crime is an offense of the same class and grade as the most serious offense which is attempted, the prosecution argued that, by analogy, the same grade and class language in the conspiracy statute, HRS § 705-526 (1993), means that conspiracy has been elevated to the same level as the new homicide offenses for limitations and sentencing purposes. Alternatively, the prosecution asserted that, assuming arguendo that the limitations period was three years, the grand jury had evidence before it sufficient to support a finding of probable cause that the defendants had made an express original agreement to conceal the conspiracy. Consequently, the conspiracy did not terminate with Kamanu's murder; rather, it continued due to overt acts following the murder that were committed in furtherance of the concealment objective. The prosecution submitted that the last overt act alleged to be in furtherance of concealing the murder had occurred in 1992 and that, therefore, the indictment brought in 1993 was timely.