Opinion ID: 1187781
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: aggravated kidnapping and conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping

Text: Aggravated kidnapping is the taking or confining of a person, accomplished by force, threat, or deception, with the intent to hold the person to facilitate the commission of any crime or to inflict bodily injury on the person where the person kidnapped sustained bodily harm. See K.S.A. 21-3420(b), (c); K.S.A. 21-3421. Valdez contends that the only evidence that Ayon was kidnapped was Jose Avalos' testimony that after the party broke up, Valdez and Avalos drove away in Ayon's car with Ayon lying in the back seat asleep or unconscious. He argues that kidnapping requires proof of confinement, and there was no evidence that the badly beaten victim requested to leave the car, attempted to leave the car, or ever was restrained or confined. Although some of the evidence is circumstantial, a conviction of even the gravest offense may be sustained by circumstantial evidence. See State v. Smith, 245 Kan. 381, 393, 781 P.2d 666 (1989). Without reciting all the testimony, there was sufficient evidence from witnesses from which reasonable minds might fairly decide Valdez was guilty of aggravated kidnapping and a conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping without a reasonable doubt.