Opinion ID: 2460227
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Proof of Deliberation

Text: Johnston challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to show deliberation. In determining the sufficiency of the evidence on appeal, this Court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, accepting as true all of the State's evidence, giving the State the benefit of all inferences therefrom and disregarding all evidence and inferences contrary to a finding of guilt. State v. Grim, 854 S.W.2d 403, 405 (Mo. banc 1993), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 997, 114 S.Ct. 562, 126 L.Ed.2d 462 (1993). Deliberation is cool reflection upon the matter for any length of time, no matter how brief. Section 565.002.3, RSMo 1996. A person's thought processes are generally invisible except as they are manifested by actions. Proof of deliberation, therefore, is ordinarily a function of evidence of the circumstances surrounding the killing. State v. O'Brien, 857 S.W.2d 212, 218-219 (Mo. banc 1993); State v. Gilmore, 661 S.W.2d 519, 525 (Mo. banc 1983), cert. denied, 466 U.S. 945, 104 S.Ct. 1931, 80 L.Ed.2d 476 (1984). Where a defendant commits a murder which, because of the particular method of attack, required some time to complete, this Court has permitted an inference of deliberation. O'Brien at 218-219. See, e.g., Antwine, 743 S.W.2d at 72 (inference of premeditation supported by the fact that defendant bypassed four separate opportunities to abandon his plan to kill second victim and by fact that defendant, finding himself in police custody and manacled, still managed to kill the second victim by stomping him to death); State v. Sandles, 740 S.W.2d 169, 177-78 (Mo. banc 1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 993, 108 S.Ct. 1303, 99 L.Ed.2d 513 (1988) (twenty stab and slash wounds provided sufficient basis for inference of deliberation); State v. Sturdivan, 497 S.W.2d 139, 142 (Mo.1973), overruled on other grounds, State v. Anderson, 515 S.W.2d 534, 542 (Mo. banc 1974) (premeditation may be reasonably inferred from the bare hand strangulation of defendant's victim and the subsequent application of the towel for two or three minutes longer to make sure he was dead). Johnston concedes in his brief, as he did at trial, that he beat his wife to death. Proof of deliberation does not require proof that the defendant contemplated his actions over a long period of time, State v. Feltrop, 803 S.W.2d 1, 11 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 501 U.S. 1262, 111 S.Ct. 2918, 115 L.Ed.2d 1081 (1991), only that the killer had ample opportunity to terminate the attack once it began. Johnston chased the car his wife was driving, jumped on the hood and clung to it as she drove down the street. After she stopped the car and tried to escape, he chased her down and started beating her in a nearby yard. This infers deliberation at least for the amount of time it took to reach her. See State v. Beishline, 926 S.W.2d 501, 511 (Mo. App.1996); see State v. Smith, 781 S.W.2d 761, 765 (Mo. banc 1989), vacated on other grounds, 495 U.S. 916, 110 S.Ct. 1944, 109 L.Ed.2d 306 (1990) (evidence that a defendant had to take a few steps before stabbing the victim gives rise to a reasonable inference of sufficient deliberation, citing State v. Clemmons, 753 S.W.2d 901, 906 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 948, 109 S.Ct. 380, 102 L.Ed.2d 369 (1988)). Eyewitnesses testified that Nancy Johnston tried to escape, but Timothy Johnston chased her down again and continued the savage beating. Johnston claimed thatafter striking his wife several timesthey reached a mutual decision to go home. Johnston ignored several attempts by witnesses to stop the beating, but acknowledged by vulgar responses those entreaties. He stopped kicking and stomping Nancy long enough to drag her to the car, ignore a police inquiry, drive away in a manner that showed a desire to elude a police, and changed the venue of the assault to a more private place, less susceptible to interruption. Once he arrived at his residence, he continued to beat her interrupting the process several times to obtain new tools with which to enhance his efforts. A prolonged struggle is evidence of deliberation. See State v. LaRette, 648 S.W.2d 96 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 1004, 104 S.Ct. 515, 78 L.Ed.2d 702 (1983). Deliberation may also be inferred when there are multiple wounds or repeated blows. State v. Roberts, 709 S.W.2d 857, 863 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 946, 107 S.Ct. 427, 93 L.Ed.2d 378 (1986); State v. Clark, 913 S.W.2d 399, 404 (Mo.App.1996); State v. Barnes, 740 S.W.2d 340, 344 (Mo.App.1987); State v. Howard, 896 S.W.2d 471, 481 (Mo. App.1995); State v. Hurt, 668 S.W.2d 206, 215 (Mo.App.1984). Johnston also appears to argue that he was incapable of deliberating because he allegedly was intoxicated. We addressed this issue in State v. Erwin, 848 S.W.2d 476, 482 (Mo. banc 1993), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 826, 114 S.Ct. 88, 126 L.Ed.2d 56 (1993), and again in State v. Roberts, 948 S.W.2d 577 (Mo. banc 1997). A person who voluntarily puts himself ... into a[n intoxicated] condition is capable of forming an intent to kill. State v. Roberts, 948 S.W.2d at 588. On the basis of this overwhelming evidence, a jury could find beyond any reasonable doubt that Johnston deliberated. The point is denied.