Opinion ID: 2633286
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Attempted Rape Special Circumstance

Text: Here, defendant contends that, as a matter of law, the attempted rape allegation cannot sustain the rape-murder special-circumstance in this case because Powell's murder was not committed to advance the attempted rape. We disagree. In People v. Kelly, supra, 1 Cal.4th at p. 526, 3 Cal.Rptr.2d 677, 822 P.2d 385, we affirmed that a murder committed during an attempted rape can support both a felony murder conviction and a rape special-circumstance finding. A finding that a killing occurred in the commission of a felony requires that the two are parts of one continuous transaction. ( People v. Berryman (1993) 6 Cal.4th 1048, 1085, 25 Cal.Rptr.2d 867, 864 P.2d 40.) The rape-murder special-circumstance requires that the rape not be merely incidental to the murder but does not require that the intent to kill arise after the rape or attempt to rape. ( People v. Carpenter, supra, 15 Cal.4th at p. 388, 63 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 935 P.2d 708.) The jury must find that the defendant committed murder in order to advance an independent felonious purpose. ( People v. Green (1980) 27 Cal.3d 1, 61, 164 Cal.Rptr. 1, 609 P.2d 468.) In this case, evidence that defendant desired to have sexual intercourse with Powell, attempted to kiss her, and entered her house without permission strongly suggests his primary motivation was rape or at least that the [attempted] rape was an `independent purpose.' ( People v. Carpenter, supra, 15 Cal.4th at p. 387, 63 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 935 P.2d 708.) Accordingly, defendant's claim of error fails.