Opinion ID: 2466689
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Underlying Felonies

Text: First, Bailey complains that the felony-murder instruction did not require the jury to determine whether the underlying felonies had been completed before the commission of the murder. Bailey argued generally against the felony-murder instruction during the instructions conference, but neither made a specific objection on this basis nor proposed jury instructions that would have covered this issue. The State responds that PIK Crim.3d 56.02 sufficiently requires the jury to find that the murder occurred during the commission of the underlying felonies, such that no additional instruction is necessary. Whether an underlying felony has been completed prior to the commission of a felony murder is ordinarily a question of fact for the jury. State v. Hearron, 228 Kan. 693, 696, 619 P.2d 1157 (1980). However, this court has concluded that the PIK Crim.3d 56.02 jury instruction properly instructs the jury and fairly states the law on this issue. State v. Jackson, 280 Kan. 541, 550-51, 124, P.3d 460 (2005) (citing State v. Beach, 275 Kan. 603, 625, 67 P.3d 121 [2003]). In Jackson, this court reviewed PIK Crim.3d 56.02 under the more liberal standard because Jackson had requested a more specific jury instruction. See also State v. Ransom, 288 Kan. 697, 713, 207 P.3d 208 (2009) (noting that this court has previously approved the causation aspect of PIK Crim.3d 56.02). In this case, Bailey did not request a specific jury instruction, nor did he make a specific objection to this instruction; therefore, the court reviews this issue under the stricter, clearly erroneous standard. The PIK jury instruction given in this case requires that the jury find that the murder occurred while the underlying felonies were being committed or attempted. Following the analysis of current case law, the jury's verdict finding Bailey guilty of felony murder indicates that the jury found Bailey killed the victim during one of the underlying felonies alleged. Further, Bailey argues that the felony-murder instruction should not have included the underlying crimes of aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery because these crimes had been completed prior to the murder. Bailey objected to the instruction on this basis. The trial court ruled that completion of the underlying felony raised a fact question for the jury to decide. Bailey was allowed to argue this theory during closing arguments. Because Bailey objected to this instruction on this basis, the court must consider the instructions as a whole to determine whether the instruction fairly states the law as applied to the facts of the case. The State argues that the facts support a finding that the murder occurred during the commission of the aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and criminal discharge of a firearm. The State contends that there was no break in the events between the aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and criminal discharge of a firearm. As the State points out, these events were closely related in time. All three underlying felonies occurred before Bailey returned to the vehicle, where the proceeds of the robbery were divided. Again, whether the underlying felonies were completed before the murder is ordinarily a fact question for the jury. Hearron, 228 Kan. at 696, 619 P.2d 1157. The evidence shows that Bailey forcibly entered Stewart's and Hicks' home, stole drugs and money from them at gunpoint, and shot and killed Stewartall before returning to the vehicle in which he arrived. Afterwards, he reunited with Dean, Starr, and James at the vehicle, where the stolen money was divided among the group. The evidence in this case would not support a finding that, as a matter of law, the aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery were completed before the murder. The decision on this issue was properly allocated by the trial court. The jury was properly informed, by the instructions and the arguments of counsel, that felony murder is committed only when the murder occurs during the commission of the underlying felonies. The jury, by its verdict, found that the murder occurred during the commission of one or more of the underlying felonies.