Opinion ID: 1122542
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Arizona's Felony Murder Statute

Text: Defendant asserts that Arizona's felony murder statute creates an unconstitutional mandatory presumption of guilt in violation of the due process clause or creates a strict liability crime that may lead to the death penalty in violation of the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Similar arguments have been rejected as meritless. See State v. McLoughlin, 139 Ariz. 481, 485, 679 P.2d 504, 508 (1984). We have stated previously: [t]he felony-murder rule, designed as it is to protect human life, represents sound public policy, is reasonably related to the end sought to be accomplished and is not constitutionally impermissible. State v. Celaya, 135 Ariz. 248, 255, 660 P.2d 849, 856 (1983) (quoting State v. Goodseal, 220 Kan. 487, 553 P.2d 279, 286 (1976)); LaGrand, 153 Ariz. at 30, 734 P.2d at 572; State v. Montes, 136 Ariz. 491, 498, 667 P.2d 191, 198 (1983).