Opinion ID: 859237
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: First degree murder verdict forms

Text: ¶28 Hardy requested, but the trial court denied, alternate verdict forms for first degree murder. The trial court acknowledged that this Court has urged the use of alternate verdict forms when the state alleges both premeditated and felony murder, but nonetheless opted to use a single verdict form without differentiation. ¶29 We have strongly urged trial courts to use alternate 4 The burglary had not ended when Hardy shot the victims because he was “remaining unlawfully” in Meleigha’s apartment at that time. A.R.S. § 13-1507(A). 12 forms of verdict when the state presents alternate theories of premeditated and felony murder. State v. Smith, 160 Ariz. 507, 513, 774 P.2d 811, 817 (1989) (noting that the “great benefit” for the “sound administration of justice and efficiency in processing murder cases” supports submitting alternate forms of verdict to the jury). But Smith “did not change the substantive rule that it [is] not error to have one form of verdict for first degree murder even though both premeditation and felony murder [are] being submitted to the jury.” State v. Schad, 163 Ariz. 411, 417, 788 P.2d 1162, 1168 (1989) (noting that “first degree murder is only one crime” and “the defendant is not entitled to a unanimous jury verdict on the precise manner in which the act was committed”), aff’d, 501 U.S. 624 (1991); see also State v. Garza, 216 Ariz. 56, 67 ¶ 46 n.11, 163 P.3d 1006, 1017 n.11 (2007). However, if a jury’s verdict is based, “in whole or in part, on [an] impermissible felony murder theory” and the trial court did not provide separate verdict forms to show whether the jury found premeditated rather than felony murder, we will reverse the conviction and remand for a new trial on the premeditation theory alone. State v. Lopez, 158 Ariz. 258, 264, 266, 762 P.2d 545, 551, 553 (1988). ¶30 Relying on Lopez, Hardy argues that the trial court erred in failing to give two forms of verdict because the evidence failed to support either predicate offense for felony 13 murder. As discussed above, however, substantial evidence supports the convictions on both predicate offenses in this case. Therefore, Hardy was not entitled to a unanimous decision on the precise manner in which the murders were committed, and the trial court did not err in denying Hardy’s request to use separate verdict forms for first degree murder. ¶31 Again, however, the best practice is to submit alternate verdict forms to the jury when the state presents alternate theories of first degree murder. We encourage trial courts to do so. A clear record of the jury’s findings enables both parties to focus their arguments on appeal and serves the goal of judicial economy by avoiding the need to remand in cases like Lopez.