Opinion ID: 2916030
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Felony Murder Aggravating Circumstance

Text: Another aggravating circumstance which may permit the imposition of the death penalty is that [t]he murder was knowingly committed, solicited, directed, or aided by the defendant, while the defendant had a substantial role in committing or attempting to commit, or was fleeing after having a substantial role in committing or attempting to commit, any first degree murder, arson, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, kidnapping, aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child, aircraft piracy, or unlawful throwing, placing or discharging of a destructive device or bomb[.] Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-204(i)(7) (the “felony murder” aggravating circumstance). The trial court erred in its charge to the jury regarding the felony murder aggravating circumstance. As recognized by the Court of Criminal Appeals below, the trial court divided this single aggravating circumstance into two separate aggravating circumstances. However, the felony murder aggravating circumstance may be applied only once to a single murder committed in the course of multiple felonies. See, e.g., State v. Henretta, 325 S.W.3d 112, 145-46 (Tenn. 2010) (considering the felony murder aggravating circumstance as a single aggravating circumstance although the murder occurred while the defendant was committing kidnapping, robbery, and rape); State v. Morris, 24 S.W.3d 788, 798-99 (Tenn. 2000) (considering the felony murder aggravating circumstance as a single aggravating circumstance when the murder occurred while the defendant was committing another first degree murder, rape, burglary, and kidnapping); State v. Buck, 670 S.W.2d 600, 608-09 (Tenn. 1984) (considering the felony murder aggravating circumstance as a single aggravating circumstance when the murder occurred while the defendant was committing rape, robbery, and kidnapping). While the evidence in this case supported the application of the felony murder aggravating circumstance as a single aggravating circumstance, the trial court‟s error impermissibly allowed the jury to apply twice a single aggravating circumstance. to the records delineated in Shepard v. United States, 544 U.S. 13, 16, 20 (2005). See State v. Young, 196 S.W.3d 85, 112 (Tenn. 2006). 39