Opinion ID: 2553189
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Merger of Convictions and Sentences

Text: Appellant contends that some of his convictions must merge. Matthews was convicted, inter alia, of attempted robbery while armed of Swann, first degree felony murder while armed involving the killing of Swann during an attempted robbery of Swann, attempted robbery while armed of Ingram, and first degree felony murder while armed involving the killing of Swann during an attempt to commit robbery of Ingram. As appellant notes, and the prosecution concedes, some of these convictions must merge. One of the felony murder convictions must be vacated. See Garris v. United States, 465 A.2d 817, 823 (D.C. 1983) ([W]here one killing is involved, and the government advances alternate theories of felony murder based upon more than one underlying felony, the accused may not be convicted of more than one felony murder.); see also Downing v. United States, 929 A.2d 848, 864 (D.C. 2007); Thacker v. United States, 599 A.2d 52, 63 (D.C.1991) (When there is only one killing, the defendant may not be convicted of more than one murder.). Additionally, the court must vacate the attempted robbery while armed conviction which underlies the remaining felony murder conviction because a person cannot be convicted of both felony murder and the underlying felony that supported the felony murder conviction. See Thacker, supra, 599 A.2d at 63 ([T]he felony murder convictions merge with the underlying felonies.); Garris, supra, 465 A.2d at 823. We thus remand to the trial court with instructions to vacate one of the felony murder convictions and to vacate the attempted robbery conviction supporting the remaining felony murder conviction.