Opinion ID: 2576140
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Lessary same conduct test is used in successive prosecution cases.

Text: After discussing each of these tests in the context of the Lessary successive prosecution facts, we rejected the application of the Blockburger same elements test and the Ashe same episode test. Lessary, 75 Haw. at 457-59, 865 P.2d at 155-56. With respect to the same episode test, we concluded that while the double jeopardy clause should protect an individual from being twice put in jeopardy for a single act, it should not protect an individual from separate prosecutions for separate acts. Id. at 458, 865 P.2d at 156. With respect to the Blockburger same elements test, we concluded that its protection was inadequate in successive prosecution cases because its focus on the statutory definitions of offenses did not prevent the government from initiating multiple prosecutions against an individual based on a single act as long as the subsequent prosecutions were for offenses with different elements. Id. at 456-57, 865 P.2d at 155. We held that the Hawai`i Constitution provides greater protection against successive prosecutions than does the United States Constitution, and adopted the same conduct test in successive prosecution cases: Although the double jeopardy clause of the United States Constitution does not bar the prosecution of either the Unlawful Imprisonment or Terroristic Threatening charges, we hold that the Hawai`i Constitution provides greater protection against multiple prosecutions than does the United States Constitution. The double jeopardy clause of the Hawai`i Constitution prohibits the State from pursuing multiple prosecutions of an individual for the same conduct. Prosecutions are for the same conduct if any act of the defendant is alleged to constitute all or part of the conduct elements of the offenses charged in the respective prosecutions. Under the same conduct test, prosecution of the Unlawful Imprisonment charge is barred while prosecution of the Terroristic Threatening charge is allowed. Id. at 462, 865 P.2d at 157. We take this opportunity to reconfirm that the same conduct test is the proper test to be applied in successive prosecution cases to determine whether an offense is the same offense for double jeopardy purposes under our Hawai`i Constitution.