Opinion ID: 2539226
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Gamble

Text: ¶ 42 Jacob Gamble makes passing reference to double jeopardy in his petition for review, but fails to provide any argument on the issue. He did argue double jeopardy to the Court of Appeals, and that court correctly concluded there was no violation. State v. Gamble, 137 Wash.App. 892, 899-902, 155 P.3d 962 (2007). In a joint supplemental brief, he asks the court to consider issues raised in the petition for review and consider the briefing in the Court of Appeals. However, argument incorporated by reference to other briefing is not properly before this court, and we decline to further consider the assertion that double jeopardy principles have been violated. Saldin Sec., Inc. v. Snohomish County, 134 Wash.2d 288, 297 n. 4, 949 P.2d 370 (1998). ¶ 43 Gamble also contends that the trial court committed reversible error when it failed to give a lesser offense instruction on second degree manslaughter as he requested. A lesser offense instruction must be given if the elements of the lesser offense are necessarily included in the offense charged and the evidence supports an inference that the lesser offense was committed to the exclusion of the charged offense. State v. Workman, 90 Wash.2d 443, 447-48, 584 P.2d 382 (1978). First degree manslaughter is committed when a person recklessly causes the death of another person. RCW 9A.32.060(1)(a). Second degree manslaughter is committed when a person, with criminal negligence, causes the death of another person. RCW 9A.32.070. A person acts with criminal negligence when he or she fails to be aware of a substantial risk that a wrongful act may occur and his or her failure to be aware of such substantial risk constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise in the same situation. RCW 9A.08.010(1)(d). ¶ 44 The trial court found there was no evidence to support the claim that Gamble acted with criminal negligence. The Court of Appeals affirmed, as do we. Gamble and a companion attended a party where his companion wanted to fight another young man. Daniel Carroll was a friend of the man Gamble's associate wanted to fight. Carroll tried to intervene on behalf of his friend after the friend was hit on the head with a beer bottle. Carroll was unarmed and considerably smaller than Gamble, who punched him as he went to his friend's aid. Carroll fell, hit his head on a concrete sidewalk, and as he lay there, not moving, Gamble and others kicked him. In a taped statement to the police, admitted at trial, Gamble said he got caught up in the moment and that he intentionally struck Carroll in the face. He knew Carroll landed on the sidewalk and he kicked Carroll in the head. He claimed he did not want to hurt Carroll. Mr. Carroll died as a result of the beating by Gamble and others. Gamble was charged, after his second degree felony murder conviction was reversed, with second degree intentional murder and first degree manslaughter, in the alternative. The jury found him not guilty of intentional murder, but guilty of first degree manslaughter. ¶ 45 Gamble's intentional conduct of punching the victim in the face, coupled with kicking him in the head when he was down and not moving, is not evidence that supports only criminal negligence and a manslaughter charge, regardless of Gamble's assertion that he did not want to harm the victim. ¶ 46 We uphold the Court of Appeals' determination that no error occurred when the trial court refused to give a lesser offense instruction, and affirm Gamble's conviction of first degree manslaughter.