Opinion ID: 2514149
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Consecutive Sentences

Text: Next, Ramos argues that the district court erred by imposing consecutive sentences for both first-degree felony murder and criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling. He contends that both convictions were based on the same act. He argues that the crimes merged and, thus, imposing consecutive sentences violated the constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy. His argument is not persuasive. Ramos was convicted of criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling that resulted in great bodily harm. K.S.A. 2000 Supp. 21-4219(b). Here, the great bodily harm was the death of Elizabeth Manning. He was also convicted of felony murder, where the underlying felony was the criminal discharge of a weapon at an occupied building resulting in great bodily harm. The district court imposed a life sentence on Ramos for the felony murder conviction and imposed a consecutive sentence of 64 months on the conviction for criminal discharge of a firearm. State v. Rayton, 268 Kan. 711, 1 P.3d 854 (2000), controls. In Rayton, we examined whether the charge of criminal discharge of a firearm merges into the charge of felony murder. We noted that criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling requires proof that a defendant discharged a firearm at an occupied dwelling. We also noted that felony murder requires proof that a person was killed during the commission of an inherently dangerous felony. Thus, we concluded that the two crimes are separate and distinct offenses which require proof of different elements. We found that the two crimes do not merge and that the punishment for both crimes does not violate double jeopardy. 268 Kan. at 725. Ramos argues that Rayton is in direct conflict with State v. Smallwood, 264 Kan. 69, 955 P.2d 1209 (1998). In Smallwood, the defendant appealed his convictions for felony murder, K.S.A. 21-3401, and for two counts of child abuse, K.S.A. 21-3609. 264 Kan. at 70. Smallwood argued that the imposition of consecutive sentences for his convictions for first-degree felony murder and child abuse violated the constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy. We noted in Smallwood that distinguishing felony murder from child abuse that results in death has had a tumultuous history in Kansas. We found that a single assaultive incident of child abuse, K.S.A. 21-3609, that results in the death of the child merges with killing and constitutes only one offense. 264 Kan. at 91-92. We concluded that Smallwood's act of shaking the child was the act that caused great bodily harm and the death of the child and was the basis for both crimes. The abuse of the child was not separated in time or distinct from the death of the child. Thus, the child abuse offense merged with the offense of felony murder. We concluded that convictions for both crimes violated double jeopardy. 264 Kan. at 94. Ramos contends that had the strict elements analysis been used in Smallwood, we would not have vacated the child abuse conviction. Ramos observes that the offense of abuse of a child requires proof that the defendant intentionally tortured, cruelly beat, or shook a child under the age of 18. K.S.A. 21-3609. Thus, Ramos concludes that under the reasoning in Rayton, since each offense requires proof of different elements, a conviction of both offenses, child abuse and felony murder, would not constitute a double jeopardy violation. Smallwood is not inconsistent with Rayton. In Smallwood, we considered the elements test, but we decided: The abuse of the child is not separated in time or distinct from the death of the child. Because there was only one act, the elements of the abuse of a child are not distinct from the homicide. 264 Kan. at 94. We concluded that under K.S.A. 21-3436(a), the legislature intended that anyone who causes the death of a child while committing the act of child abuse is guilty of first-degree felony murder. 264 Kan. at 94. Here, like the situation in Rayton, the two crimes were separate and distinct. Unlike a situation where a child's death is caused by an act of child abuse, the act of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling was distinct from the death of Mrs. Manning. Ramos shot multiple times, not just once, into the Manning house. Consecutive sentences for felony murder and criminal discharge of a firearm did not violate double jeopardy.