Opinion ID: 2518363
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: were instructions on lesser included offenses of felony murder required?

Text: The defendant requested instructions on reckless second-degree murder and reckless involuntary manslaughter as lesser included offenses of felony murder. The trial court declined to so instruct on the ground that the evidence of the underlying felonies was neither weak nor inconclusive. A trial court should only instruct on a lesser included offense of felony murder when the evidence of the underlying felony is weak or inconclusive. The reason for the rule is that the killer's malignant purpose is established by proof of the collateral felony. State v. Sandifer, 270 Kan. 591, Syl. ¶ 3, 17 P.3d 921 (2001). On appeal, Dixon argues that the evidence of the underlying felony, burglary, was weak and inconclusive. The jury was instructed that it could consider only the second of the two burglary counts, Count 11, as a predicate offense for the felony-murder charges. In closing argument, the prosecutor told the jurors that only the second burglary count could be a predicate offense because only during the second burglary was something done to start the chain of events that ended with the deaths of Dana and Gabriel Hudson. Dixon concedes that there was conclusive evidence that he entered Alicia's apartment the second time, but he disputes that there was conclusive evidence that he entered with a felonious intent. The jury was instructed that it could find that he entered Alicia's apartment with the intent to commit theft, aggravated arson, or criminal damage to property. Griffin, who accompanied Dixon the second time he went into Alicia's apartment, testified that Dixon threw a candle at a television, kicked a bookshelf, knocked the stove onto its side, tore a curtain down off a front room window, and tore up the kitchen going through the cabinets. Viewed in the light most favorable to defendant, as required, State v. Gholston, 272 Kan. 601, 615, 35 P.3d 868 (2001), cert. denied 536 U.S. 963 (2002), Griffin's testimony provided substantial and conclusive proof of Dixon's criminal damage to property. And it could reasonably be inferred from the evidence that Dixon entered the apartment with the felonious intent to criminally damage property. No lesser offense instructions were required.