Opinion ID: 1664716
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Offense of Capital Murder

Text: A person commits capital murder if, acting alone or with one or more other persons, he commits or attempts to commit an enumerated felony, and, in the course of and in furtherance of the felony or in immediate flight from the felony, he or an accomplice causes the death of any person under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-10-101(a)(1) (Repl.2006 & Supp.2007). Aggravated robbery is included in the list of enumerated felonies. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-10-101(a)(1)(vi) (Supp.2007). The prosecution in the instant case proceeded against Bill Young on a felony-murder theory, with aggravated robbery as the underlying felony. A forensic DNA examiner from the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory testified that samples from the blue jeans of both Bill and Leslie Young contained Steve's DNA. In addition, an empty box of Maxum brand pepper spray was recovered from the crime scene. A canister of the same brand of pepper spray was found on Leslie's person at the time of her arrest. Finally, Anita Miller later discovered Steve's wallet, containing his driver's license, in her car under the seat where Leslie had been sitting prior to the arrest. This evidence, combined with that evidence reviewed earlier, establishes that the capital-murder conviction is supported by substantial evidence. A conviction of capital murder under the felony-murder rule requires proof that Bill caused Steve's death in the course of and in furtherance of the aggravated robbery and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. See Ark.Code Ann. § 5-10-101(a)(1). Bill's own testimony indicated that he stabbed Steve and took the property as part of the same incident. The jury was free to disbelieve his testimony regarding the defense of his wife and to conclude that he killed Steve in order to rob him. The number of wounds, coupled with the testimony that there were some defensive and post-mortem wounds, is sufficient to show circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. Thus, it cannot be said that the jury's verdict rested on speculation and conjecture. The evidence supports the capital-murder conviction.