Opinion ID: 2566681
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Conspiracy to commit armed robbery

Text: {49} Conspiracy consists of knowingly combining with another for the purpose of committing a felony within or without this state. Section 30-28-2. An overt act is not required; the crime is complete when the felonious agreement is reached. State v. Davis, 92 N.M. 341, 344, 587 P.2d 1352, 1355 (Ct.App.1978). Such an agreement need not be proven by direct evidence; the agreement may be in the form of a mutually implied understanding and may be inferred from circumstantial evidence. Id. at 342, 587 P.2d at 1353. There being no dispute about Coley's intent to commit armed robbery, the State was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt both (1) that Defendant intended to commit armed robbery, and (2) that Defendant entered into an agreement with Coley to commit armed robbery. [1] See UJI 14-2810 NMRA 2004 (defining elements of conspiracy). {50} Our harmless-error analysis of the armed-robbery conviction above applies also to these two elements of conspiracy. While Defendant admits he was in the bathroom with Coley when Coley proposed the robbery, Defendant directly disputed the State's theory of the substance of that discussion when he testified that he did not agree to join in the robbery  indeed, that he thought he had persuaded Coley against it. We note that Hoff's testimony tended to corroborate Defendant's account of the bathroom conversation when Hoff said it sounded as though one person didn't want to do it and one person did. Hoff's and Defendant's testimony on this point, if believed, would lead to a rational conclusion that Defendant had not entered into an agreement at this stage. Such a conclusion would thus heighten the importance of Young's statement with respect to the jury's determination that Defendant entered into an agreement with Coley to commit armed robbery: Young's statement provided strong direct evidence that Defendant both intended to commit armed robbery and joined with Coley in committing the armed robbery. Therefore, we cannot say its erroneous admission was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt with respect to this conviction.