Opinion ID: 1855277
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: trial court's specific findings

Text: Following trial on March 14, 1996, the court announced specific findings which it stated were not intended to be all-inclusive, but merely to make a record for any reviewing court of the factors that the court found most significant in arriving at its decision in the case. The court noted that Hammett testified that Hansen had purchased the deer slugs for the shotgun and that Hansen had told the others the night before, with reference to the BB's in the shotgun, that `that ain't gonna do nothing to nobody, let's get some slugs that will do damage.' The court stated that it was in the context of that remark and the events of the preceding two evenings that Hansen had purchased this very devastating ammunition. With that in mind, the court evaluated Hammett's remark that it was Hansen's turn to blast. The court also found of particular significance a remark that Murry apparently made earlier in the course of the evening, that `we're gonna go dump some slobs.' Hammett testified that he took that to mean that they were going to go and kill some Bloods. The court found two additional matters to be of overwhelming significance. First was the fact that after spotting the group of people on the west side of 40th Street and announcing that `it's my turn to blast,' Hansen traded places with Dennis. By switching to the passenger's side of the vehicle as it headed south on 40th Street, Hansen put himself in a position where he had a clear shot at the people standing under the streetlight on the west side of the street. The second significant matter was Hansen's testimony that he had purposefully pointed the shotgun and fired it. The court found that even if the group had abandoned its intent to blast, at that point, the intent was rekindled. The court further noted that in order to eject a shell from the shotgun, the gun must be pumped. Since the record reflected that the discharged shell flew back and hit Hammett in the chest, the court found conclusively that Hansen had both hands on the shotgun. The court stated that there was absolutely no question that Hansen pointed the shotgun in the general direction of Savin and fired, and that there was no question that the intent requisite for conviction of first degree murder was present. Thereupon, the court found Hansen guilty of first degree murder, as alleged in count I of the information, and guilty of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, as alleged in count II of the information.