Opinion ID: 2508270
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Aggravated Battery and Shooting from or at a Motor Vehicle

Text: {40} I would also find double jeopardy with respect to Defendant's convictions of aggravated battery and shooting from or at a motor vehicle. The shooting from or at a motor vehicle statute contains many of the same elements as the base statute of aggravated battery but increases the punishment from a third degree felony to a second degree felony because the same conduct involves shooting from or at a vehicle. [1] § 30-3-8(B); NMSA 1978, § 30-3-5(C) (1969). Under Swafford I believe this sentencing structure evinces a legislative intent to punish shooting from or at a vehicle as an elevated form of aggravated battery. See Swafford, 112 N.M. at 15, 810 P.2d at 1235 (holding that even if an initial presumption is created that the Legislature intended multiple punishments for the same conduct under Blockburger, it may be inferred that the Legislature did not intend punishment under both statutes if one statutory provision incorporates many of the elements of a base statute, and extracts a greater penalty than the base statute). {41} Moreover, having concluded it would violate double jeopardy to convict Defendant of both a homicide crime and a non-homicide crime raises a substantial doubt whether the Legislature intended to punish Defendant's unitary act resulting in injury to Martinez as both aggravated battery and shooting from or at a motor vehicle. Otherwise, Defendant would be punished more severely for the injury of one victim than for the death of another victim. I do not believe the Legislature intended such a result. As such, I would vacate the aggravated battery conviction. {42} For these reasons, I dissent from Parts II and III and need not reach the issue discussed in Part IV.