Opinion ID: 2516548
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: conviction for felony murder

Text: Jacques argues that there was insufficient evidence to support the underlying felony (possession of cocaine) which was used to convict him of felony murder. Jacques admits that Everitt had gone to Rogers' house to purchase cocaine. Jacques argues, however, that when Everitt came out of the house yelling and screaming at Jacques, the act of purchasing the cocaine ended. Jacques admits, however, that he purchased cocaine shortly after stabbing Everitt. Because the stabbing occurred after Everitt left the house and before Jacques went back in to purchase the drug, Jacques argues that the felony-murder rule cannot be applied, as he did not possess cocaine at the same time that he stabbed Everitt and did not have any intent to possess cocaine at the time. Indeed, the usual circumstance in which the felony-murder rule is applied is either where the felony is being committed and a death results, or where the felony has been completed and a death results shortly thereafter as a result of the defendant fleeing the scene. When applying the felony-murder rule, however, the felony and the victim's death do not need to occur simultaneously, nor does the felony need to occur before the death. Time, distance, and the causal relationship between the underlying felony and the killing are factors to be considered in determining whether the killing is a part of the felony and therefore subject to the felony-murder rule. State v. Shaw, 260 Kan. 396, Syl. ¶ 1, 921 P.2d 779 (1996); State v. Lashley, 233 Kan. 620, 631, 664 P.2d 1358 (1983). We hold that the death need not occur during or after the commission of the felony to support a conviction for felony murder. The question for the jury is whether the death is within the res gestae of the crime, regardless of the actual sequence of events. See People v. Jones, 86 Ill. App.3d 253, 256-57, 408 N.E.2d 79 (1980) (noting that the felony need not occur before the death but may occur after the death to support a conviction for felony murder); People v. Goddard, 135 Mich. App. 128, 135, 352 N.W.2d 367 (1984) (noting that for felony murder, there must be causal connection between the felony and the death but that the death may take place sometime before or after the felony); State v. Nelson, 65 N.M. 403, 411, 338 P.2d 301 (1959) (affirming felony-murder conviction where death occurred first and felony second and noting that the sequence of events is not determinative but that the felony must occur within the res gestae of the crime); State v. Handy, 331 N.C. 515, 529, 419 S.E.2d 545 (1992) (affirming felony-murder conviction even though the defendant may have formed the intent to commit the armed robbery after the death occurred as there was no break in the chain of events forming one continuous transaction); Perry v. State, 853 P.2d 198, 200 (Okla. Crim. 1993) (applying a res gestae analysis to a felony-murder case where the death occurred first and the robbery of the victim occurred second, and holding that defendant could still be charged and convicted of felony murder); and State v. Kimball, 14 Wash. App. 951, 957, 546 P.2d 1217 (1976) (holding that defendant could be convicted of felony murder even if the felony occurs after the death as long as there is some connection between the two crimes). In the present case, Jacques went with Everitt to purchase cocaine. Although Jacques was dropped off at a grocery store and did not immediately go to the house where Everitt was to buy the cocaine, Jacques eventually walked to the house. The attempt by Everitt to purchase cocaine, the stabbing of Everitt, and the subsequent purchase of the cocaine by Jacques were part of one continuous transaction. Jacques had the opportunity to take Everitt to the hospital but chose to go back inside and complete the cocaine transaction instead. A review of all of the evidence, when viewed in a light most favorable to the prosecution, shows that a rational factfinder could have found Jacques guilty of felony murder beyond a reasonable doubt. A rational factfinder could have concluded that the stabbing was within the res gestae of the possession of cocaine. Thus, there was sufficient evidence to support the conviction of Jacques for felony murder.