Opinion ID: 2582616
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: aiding a felon

Text: Deal argues that the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on his theory of defense, which was aiding a felon. Deal contends that the failure to instruct on his theory of defense violated his due process rights under the constitution. In making this argument, Deal does not claim that aiding a felon is a lesser included offense of premeditated first-degree murder but instead that aiding a felon is a defense to the crime charged. Deal's defense, however, is that he did not commit the crimes charged. If the jury believed that Deal did not commit the crime charged, it would have been required to acquit him. The jury, instead, convicted Deal of one of the crimes charged. In State v. Weigel, 228 Kan. 194, 198, 612 P.2d 636 (1980), the appellant made the same argument. In determining that no such instruction was required, this court stated: Defendant's next point concerns his request that the court give an instruction on aiding a felon. Defendant had maintained throughout his trial that his actions, after he awoke from a drunken stupor and drove his companions away from the bank, were for the purpose of helping one of the female robbers get out of the state. He argues that this was his theory of defense and as such the court should have instructed thereon. We cannot agree. Aiding a felon is a separate criminal offense proscribed by K.S.A. 21-3812. It is not error to refuse an instruction thereon when the accused has not been charged with said crime and it is not a lesser included offense of the crimes of which he has been charged. Defendant was not charged with the crime of aiding a felon. The crime was not a lesser included offense of any of the crimes of which he was charged. See K.S.A. 21-3107. Therefore, the point is without merit. Likewise, Deal's argument on this point is also without merit. The trial court did not err in refusing to give an instruction on aiding a felon when Deal was not charged with the crime. Deal's argument that his defense was that he committed another crime not charged is not a defense at all. His defense was that he did not commit the crime charged. The State chose not to charge Deal with aiding a felon. It would have been inappropriate for the trial court to instruct the jury on a crime which was not charged.