Opinion ID: 1352261
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: lesser included crimes

Text: Sutherland argues that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on the lesser included offenses of robbery and theft. K.S.A. 21-3107(3) provides, in part: In cases where the crime charged may include some lesser crime, it is the duty of the trial court to instruct the jury, not only as to the crime charged but as to all lesser crimes of which the accused might be found guilty under the information or indictment and upon the evidence adduced. Although Sutherland did not request instructions on robbery and theft, a court is under an affirmative duty to give an instruction on a lesser included offense under certain circumstances, even if a defendant fails to request it (and so long as he does not object to it). State v. Cummings, 242 Kan. 84, 91, 744 P.2d 858 (1987). A duty to instruct on lesser included offenses arises only when evidence introduced during trial is such that the defendant might reasonably have been convicted of the lesser offense. State v. Armstrong, 240 Kan. 446, 459, 731 P.2d 249, cert. denied 482 U.S. 929, 107 S.Ct. 3215, 96 L.Ed.2d 702 (1987). The evidence supporting the lesser crime need not be overwhelmingthe instruction must be given even though the evidence may be weak or inconclusive. However, if the evidence at trial excludes a theory of guilt of a lesser offense, the failure to instruct the jury on some lesser degree of the crime charged is not grounds for reversal. 240 Kan. at 459, 731 P.2d 249. The question is not whether, in the mind of the court, the evidence as a whole excludes the idea that the defendant is guilty of a lesser included offense, but whether there is any substantial evidence tending to prove that lesser included offense. 240 Kan. at 459, 731 P.2d 249. One common situation in which a lesser included instruction need not be given is where the defendant simply denies that he participated in the crime and no evidence is presented which would show that a dangerous weapon was not used in the robbery. In State v. Mitchell, 234 Kan. 185, 189-90, 672 P.2d 1 (1983), this court held that the trial court acted correctly in failing to give a lesser included instruction on robbery: It is not contested in this case that the robber had a gun. Every witness who was in the bar at the time of the robbery testified that the robber had a gun. This is not a case where the defendant admitted the crime but claimed not to have used a weapon. The question the jury was asked to decide was whether appellant was the robber, not whether a weapon was used. Sutherland first argues that there is a question as to whether the knife was a deadly or dangerous weapon. As already noted above, the undisputed testimony of Lehman was that she so viewed the weapon. Sutherland also attempts to argue that Fulps' testimony shows that an instruction on robbery should have been given because he stated that the knife was not displayed until after the money was taken. Sutherland misreads Fulps' testimony. When testifying, Fulps first gave a general description of the robbery. Fulps stated that he saw the tip of the knife as soon as he turned around and looked at Baughman. Fulps then stated, And then the other guyat that point he showed me his knife. It is not clear from this testimony at what point Baughman revealed the knife. After Fulps' general description of the robbery, he testified in more detail in response to specific questions. During this questioning, Fulps specifically stated that Baughman displayed the whole knife when Sutherland said to Lehman, Don't play stupid . . . . The testimony of Baughman and Lehman also shows that Baughman displayed the knife prior to obtaining control over the money. This case is similar to Mitchell. It is undisputed that Baughman had a knife and displayed it. Sutherland's defense was that some other person must have committed the robbery with Baughman. There is no evidence upon which the jury could have found Sutherland guilty of robbery rather than aggravated robbery. There was no question for the jury other than Sutherland's presence. The trial court did not err in not giving an instruction on robbery. Sutherland also argues that the instruction on theft should have been given. K.S.A. 21-3426 defines robbery: Robbery is the taking of property from the person or presence of another by threat of bodily harm to his person or the person of another or by force. K.S.A. 21-3701 defines theft and does not require that the property be taken from the presence of another by threat. Theft is a lesser degree of robbery. State v. Long, 234 Kan. 580, Syl. ¶ 4, 675 P.2d 832 (1984), overruled on other grounds State v. Keeler, 238 Kan. 356, 710 P.2d 1279 (1985). Sutherland's argument fails. If a robbery instruction was unnecessary, a theft instruction was unnecessary because there was no question for the jury as to whether the threat of force was used.