Opinion ID: 853385
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Burglary and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary

Text: We next address whether Johnson's convictions for burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary also violate Indiana's double jeopardy clause. That is, we examine whether it is reasonably possible that the same evidence was used to support both Johnson's burglary conviction and Johnson's conviction for conspiracy to commit burglary. We first observe that a defendant may be convicted of both conspiracy to commit a felony and commission of the underlying felony. See Griffin v. State, 717 N.E.2d 73, 89 (Ind.1999), cert. denied, 530 U.S. 1247, 120 S.Ct. 2697, 147 L.Ed.2d 968 (2000). A double jeopardy violation occurs where the same evidence used to prove the overt act committed in furtherance of the conspiracy also proves the commission of the underlying crime. See Turnley v. State, 725 N.E.2d 87, 91 (Ind.2000); Griffin, 717 N.E.2d at 89. The case before us is somewhat unusual because the information charging Johnson with conspiracy to commit burglary mentions no overt acts. [2] In like fashion, the final jury instructions are silent on what overt acts the State was required to prove in order to obtain a guilty verdict for conspiracy to commit burglary. Nonetheless, we may examine the record to determine the facts upon which the State relied to support its charge of conspiracy. See McIntire v. State, 717 N.E.2d 96, 100 (Ind. 1999) (observing that the evidentiary facts used by the jury in reaching its decision may be informed by considerations of the final jury instructions and arguments of counsel); see also Parker v. State, 660 N.E.2d 1025, 1031 (Ind.Ct.App.1995) (finding that the record showed the State proved several overt acts to support its claim of conspiracy apart from the underlying felony even though the jury was not instructed as to a particular overt act). The record shows that in final summation the prosecutor advanced the argument that the State had proven that either Johnson or his co-conspirators had engaged in several overt acts, including: obtaining a weapon, entering the crime scene [Miller's home], and stealing items from Miller's home. R. at 1373. In addition, both charged offenses included the same intent to commit a felony of theft, robbery, or battery resulting in serious injury. Thus, the evidence proving conspiracy to commit burglary in this case also established the essential elements of Class B burglary as now reduced. Applying the Richardson test, we conclude there was a reasonable possibility that the jury used the same evidentiary fact to prove the essential elements of both the conspiracy to commit burglary charge and the burglary charge as a Class B felony. Accordingly, we must vacate Johnson's conviction for conspiracy to commit burglary.