Opinion ID: 2520543
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: auman's felony-murder conviction must be reversed because the jury was improperly instructed on the predicate felony upon which her felony-murder charge was based

Text: We next consider Auman's claims concerning the erroneous instruction on theft. This issue was raised by Auman in the court of appeals and argued to us as part of her appeal because Auman's intent to commit theft was a required element of second degree burglary, the predicate felony for her felony-murder conviction. In granting certiorari review, our focus was primarily on two issues: (1) whether arrest terminates a co-participant's liability for felony murder while another participant remains in flight; and (2) whether the instruction on felony murder appropriately reflected the requirements of our felony-murder statute and properly connected the predicate felony, flight, and the resulting death. Related to the propriety of the felony-murder instruction, although not the primary focus of our certiorari questions, is the issue of whether the error in the definition of the predicate felony warrants reversal of Auman's convictions. We therefore now address the error in the theft instruction.