Opinion ID: 2381320
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Second (11:20 p.m.) Incident

Text: Two Counts of First Degree Burglary While Armed (Counts M, N), D.C.Code §§ 22-1801(a), -3202, for the Burglary with Intent to Steal, and the Burglary with Intent to Assault, in apartment 302. Five counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Counts O, P, Q, R, S), D.C.Code § 22-502, for the assaults of Diana Kirkland, Rosslyn Kirkland, Floyd, Ayres, and Watson. One count of Armed Robbery (Count T), D.C.Code §§ 22-2901, -3202, for taking money from Nutt. One count of Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (Count U), D.C.Code § 22-3204(b). One count of Carrying a Pistol Without a License (Count V), D.C.Code § 22-3204(a). One count of Possession of a Prohibited Weapon (Count W), D.C.Code § 22-3214(a). [3] Appellants contend that there was one continuous incident on the night of June 4, 1991, rather than two distinct sets of events as the trial court found. Several of their merger arguments flow from this contention. Hanna contends that (1) all four of the burglary counts (F, G, M, N) that arise out of the two incidents merge; (2) all the kidnapping counts (D, E, I) merge; and (3) the two possession of a firearm during a crime of violence counts (L, U) merge. [4] Simmons adopts former co-appellant Wray's arguments that all the convictions for crimes of violence (Counts D, E, H, I, J, K, O, P, Q, R, S, T) merge. Simmons also contends that all convictions should be vacated except for one count of first degree burglary and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. In light of Simmons' contention that proper application of the merger doctrine reduces these twenty convictions to one count of first degree burglary and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, we will treat this appeal as presenting the question whether any of these twenty convictions merges with another. [5]