Opinion ID: 1890374
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Aiding and abetting conviction

Text: A grand jury indicted Dobbins for first-degree premeditated murder in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.05, the aiding and abetting statute, and Minn.Stat. § 609.185(a)(1), the first-degree murder statute. At trial, the State's primary theory was that Dobbins shot Lavender, but alternatively argued that if Dobbins did not actually shoot Lavender, Dobbins nevertheless was guilty of first-degree murder because he orchestrated Lavender's murder. The jury found Dobbins guilty of first-degree premeditated murder in violation of Minn.Stat. §§ 609.05 and 609.185(a)(1). Dobbins argues that he is entitled to postconviction relief because the district court convicted him of aiding and abetting a crime that the State said he committed himself and that this result contradicts the natural law of logic. We conclude that the postconviction court did not abuse its discretion when it concluded that Dobbins's claim is Knaffla -barred. Both the indictment and the verdict form list the relevant crime as Murder in the First Degree, include the aiding and abetting statute, and state that Dobbins individually and/or while intentionally aiding, advising, hiring, counseling or conspiring with another, causing the death of ... Lavender with premeditation and with intent to effect the death of ... Lavender in violation of [Minn.Stat. §] 609.185(1) and § 609.05. Dobbins knew the contents of the indictment and the verdict form, the State's theory of the case, and the nature of his conviction at the time of his direct appeal. Claims that are based on evidence in the trial record and that were known or should have been known to a petitioner at the time of his direct appeal are Knaffla -barred. See Wright, 765 N.W.2d at 90. Additionally, Dobbins does not contend, nor does it appear, that one of the exceptions to the Knaffla rule applies. Accordingly, we hold that the postconviction court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that Dobbins's aiding and abetting claim is Knaffla -barred.