Opinion ID: 2613162
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The First Degree Felony Murder Conviction

Text: Defendant contends that his first degree felony murder conviction must be reversed because a conviction for felony murder cannot be premised on kidnapping. We reject this contention. Citing State v. Essman, 98 Ariz. 228, 403 P.2d 540 (1965), defendant argues that just as assault merged into a subsequent homicide and could not be used as a predicate for felony murder at common law, where there is a single victim, kidnapping merges into a subsequent homicide and cannot be used as a predicate for felony murder. Whatever the merits of this argument, if any, we find no error in this case. The record establishes that the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Deputy Marconnet were not conceptually identical and did not occur as part of the same act. Rather, the kidnapping occurred when Deputy Marconnet was attacked and forced to lie on the ground. The murder occurred later, when defendant's order to shoot Deputy Marconnet was carried out. We hold that defendant's conviction for first degree felony murder was properly premised on kidnapping. See State v. Herrera, Jr. I, 176 Ariz. 21, 859 P.2d 131 (1993), filed today.