Opinion ID: 2278146
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: analysis

Text: Section 565.020.1 defines the crime of first degree murder as knowingly causing the death of another person after deliberation upon the matter. Section 565.002(3), RSMo 2000, defines the intent element of deliberation as cool reflection for any length of time no matter how brief. Andrews argues that in this case there was not sufficient evidence for the jury to find that he had time to think and intended for any period of time to kill the victim. State v. Mitchell, 408 S.W.2d 39, 43 (Mo. banc 1966). In this case, the jury heard and viewed a videotaped statement from Johnson in which Johnson stated that Andrews said that he was tired of being chased by the victim and pulled the .38 caliber handgun out of his pocket. Johnson further stated that Andrews then stopped running and waited for Officer Brown to arrive. This is more than a sufficient basis for the jury to have found that Andrews had at least a brief moment of cool reflection before killing Officer Brown.