Opinion ID: 2607617
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Jurisdiction over Arizona Crimes

Text: Shannon was convicted in case C74463 of Counts II, III, and IV (three counts of lewdness with a minor) based upon three acts that took place on a January 1986 trip with Minor A. Shannon and the prosecution stipulated that these crimes took place on the Arizona side of Lake Mead. Such a stipulation by the parties must be accepted as a conclusive fact. See Gottwals v. Rencher, 60 Nev. 35, 92 P.2d 1000 (1939). The lower court ruled that Nevada retained jurisdiction pursuant to NRS 171.020 which states that: Whenever a person, with the intent to commit a crime, does any act within this state in execution or part execution of such intent, which culminates in the commission of a crime, either within or without this state, such person is punishable for such crime in this state in the same manner as if the same had been committed entirely within this state. Shannon challenges the finding of jurisdiction over these crimes in light of our past judicial interpretation of this statute. We have limited the scope of NRS 171.020 in the cases of Vincze v. Sheriff, 86 Nev. 474, 477, 470 P.2d 427, 429 (1970) and Smith v. State, 101 Nev. 167, 697 P.2d 113 (1985) based on the possible imposition upon the sovereignty of a sister state, ( See People v. Buffum, 40 Cal.2d 709, 256 P.2d 317, 320 (1953). We further hold that whether NRS 171.020 allows Nevada jurisdiction over crimes occurring in another state is a question of jurisdiction, not an element of the crime charged. As such, it is a question of law to be decided by the court, not to be submitted to a jury. Vincze and Smith are the only two cases in which we have construed the boundaries of state criminal jurisdiction under NRS 171.020. However, since these cases were decided, the United States Supreme Court has ruled, under the dual sovereignty doctrine, that successive prosecutions by two states for the same conduct are not barred by the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment. See Heath v. Alabama, 474 U.S. 82, 106 S.Ct. 433, 88 L.Ed.2d 387 (1985). As a result, the prosecution of cases such as Shannon does not bar similar prosecutions by the State of Arizona. Therefore, we are now of the opinion that NRS 171.020 should be given the full interpretation intended by the Nevada Legislature. The language of the statute gives jurisdiction to Nevada courts whenever the criminal intent is formed and any act is accomplished in this state in pursuance or partial pursuance of the intent. The statute does not require that there be partial execution of the actual crime; it only requires some carrying out of the criminal intent. In this case the facts clearly show that Shannon developed an elaborate scheme to separate vulnerable children from their parents for the purpose of subjecting them to his perverted sexual desires. This scheme involved the forming of a canoe club aimed at potential victims. All of these acts occurred in the State of Nevada and were clearly committed in pursuance of Shannon's intent to commit the crimes for which he was convicted of at trial. Therefore, the jurisdictional requirements of NRS 171.020 were met and the trial court correctly ruled that Nevada retained jurisdiction over the crimes which were consummated in the State of Arizona.