Opinion ID: 1163421
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Felony Murder Theory as Mitigation

Text: Gonzales argues that the fact that he was convicted of felony murder, rather than premeditated murder, constitutes a mitigating circumstance and mandates a finding that mitigation outweighs aggravation. In State v. Zaragoza, 135 Ariz. 63, 70, 659 P.2d 22, 29, cert. denied, 462 U.S. 1124, 103 S.Ct. 3097, 77 L.Ed.2d 1356 (1983), we held that a felony murder conviction is not relevant to a determination of mitigation in a case where the defendant intended to kill the victim or where the defendant knew with substantial certainty that his conduct would cause death. Here, the trial court made a specific finding beyond a reasonable doubt that Gonzales did the killing and intended to kill Darrel Wagner. See State v. Herrera (Mickel), 174 Ariz. 387, 397, 850 P.2d 100, 110 (1993) (a trial court may make an Enmund finding in a felony murder case). Gonzales stabbed Darrel seven times. The evidence does not support Gonzales's argument that the death was accidental. Gonzales's conviction based on felony murder is not a mitigating circumstance.