Opinion ID: 1830222
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Jury Instruction on Second Degree Murder

Text: McCracken argues that the jury was never informed that it could find him guilty of [s]econd [d]egree [m]urder or [m]anslaughter if they felt his mental condition prevented him from forming the premeditated intent required of [f]irst [d]egree [m]urder. Brief for appellant at 12-13. Because entitlement to a jury instruction on second degree murder does not necessarily entitle McCracken to a jury instruction on manslaughter, his contention raises two separate inquiries. We must first determine whether McCracken was entitled to a jury instruction on the lesser-included offense of murder in the second degree. When determining whether to instruct the jury on a lesser-included offense, a trial court must follow the two-prong test enunciated by this court in State v. Williams, 243 Neb. 959, 503 N.W.2d 561 (1993). We stated in State v. Williams, 243 Neb. at 965, 503 N.W.2d at 566: [A] court must instruct on a lesser-included offense if (1) the elements of the lesser offense ... are such that one cannot commit the greater offense without simultaneously committing the lesser offense and (2) the evidence produces a rational basis for acquitting the defendant of the greater offense and convicting the defendant of the lesser offense. In State v. Al-Zubaidy, 253 Neb. 357, 570 N.W.2d 713 (1997), we noted that second degree murder is clearly a lesser-included offense of first degree murder. Thus, in regard to McCracken's request for an instruction on second degree murder, the issue is whether there was a rational basis upon which the jury could have convicted McCracken of second degree murder while acquitting him of first degree murder. See id. The primary difference between first and second degree murder is that second degree murder does not require a finding of deliberate and premeditated malice. Compare Neb.Rev.Stat. § 28-303 (Reissue 1995) with Neb.Rev.Stat. § 28-304 (Reissue 1995). Both murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree otherwise require the intentional killing of another human being. See State v. Burlison, 255 Neb. 190, 583 N.W.2d 31 (1998) (noting that second degree murder occurs when one causes death of another intentionally, but without premeditation). McCracken was therefore entitled to a jury instruction on second degree murder only if there is a rational basis upon which the jury could have concluded that although he intentionally killed Bray, such a killing was without premeditation and deliberation. Such is not the case. The report of Cole, McCracken's expert witness, was introduced at trial and states that McCracken carefully planned to shoot Bray long before he actually did so. In various statements after the shooting, which McCracken made to mental health professionals and police, McCracken explained that after he retrieved the gun from the upstairs bedroom, he went downstairs with the intent of shooting Bray, who was asleep on the sofa. McCracken's statements also show that he then became interested in a television show and sat down in a chair in the family room to watch television. Approximately 4 hours later when that television show was over, McCracken walked over to the couch where Bray was sleeping and put the gun to her head, firing his first shot. Bray sat up after being struck with the first shot, after which McCracken fired a second shot at Bray's head. This evidence was not controverted at trial. In addition to the foregoing undisputed evidence, shortly after he had shot Bray, McCracken admitted to police that he had planned to kill Bray around midnight, but did not actually do so until between 4 and 5 a.m. Thus, the record is replete with evidence that McCracken possessed the requisite premeditation to be convicted of first degree murder. A thorough review of the record, however, does not reveal any evidence from which a contrary inference could be drawn that would allow a jury to reasonably conclude that McCracken did not possess the requisite planning and deliberation for first degree murder. McCracken relied upon, and the jury was instructed on and considered, the defense of insanity. However, because all of the relevant evidence establishes that the killing of Bray was planned and deliberate, there is no rational basis upon which the jury could have drawn different inferences as to the degrees of murder from the evidence presented at trial. See, State v. Dixon, 259 Neb. 976, 614 N.W.2d 288 (2000); State v. Al-Zubaidy, 253 Neb. 357, 570 N.W.2d 713 (1997); State v. Ellis, 208 Neb. 379, 303 N.W.2d 741 (1981). Consequently, the district court was correct in its determination that the evidence provided no rational basis upon which the jury could have convicted McCracken of second degree murder while acquitting him of first degree murder. We therefore conclude that McCracken was not entitled to a jury instruction on the offense of murder in the second degree, and McCracken's assertions to the contrary are without merit.