Opinion ID: 2549452
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Issue 3: Does sufficient evidence exist to support a conviction for premeditated murder?

Text: Finally, Sanchez-Cazares argues that the district court should have allowed the withdrawal of his guilty pleas because there was not a factual basis to support premeditation. Once again, our standard of review is abuse of discretion. See K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 22-3210(a)(4), (d); State v. Bey, 270 Kan. 544, 550, 17 P.3d 322 (2001). As we stated in State v. Saleem, 267 Kan. 100, 104, 977 P.2d 921 (1999): `[P]remeditation is the process of simply thinking about a proposed killing before engaging in the homicidal conduct.' While premeditation may be established by circumstantial evidence, it may not be inferred merely by the use of a deadly weapon alone. `Circumstances which may give rise to the inference of premeditation include: (1) the nature of the weapon used; (2) lack of provocation; (3) the defendant's conduct before and after the killing; (4) threats and declarations of the defendant before and during the occurrence; and (5) the dealing of lethal blows after the deceased was felled and rendered helpless.' State v. Murillo, 269 Kan. 281, 286, 7 P.3d 264 (2000). Sanchez does not dispute that his use of an SKS semiautomatic assault rifle implicates his premeditation to kill. He claims instead that none of the remaining factors cited in Murillo is present. We disagree. Premeditation may be inferred by lack of provocation, and the victims did not provoke Sanchez-Cazares to shoot them. Although the decedents' behavior may have been rude and inappropriate, it was not directed at Sanchez-Cazares and certainly did not warrant deadly force. In fact, the decedents were no longer dancing with the women and had left the building when they were shot. Premeditation may also be inferred by a defendant's behavior before and after the killings. Contrary to his claim that he only intended to scare the victims into leaving the party by showing them a weapon, he actually shot them after they had left the building  without speaking to them or first showing them his rifle. Prior to the shooting, he prepared to kill the victims by soliciting the assistance of a getaway driver and staging his car in front of the building to aid in his escape. After the shooting, he immediately fled and later hid his rifle and ammunition in a friend's garage. Concerning the factor of threats and declarations of the defendant before and after the killing, there is no evidence Sanchez-Cazares made any statements to the victims at any time. Likewise, there is no direct evidence that he dealt lethal blows after the victims were felled and helpless. Nevertheless, he admitted to the police that he shot the victims several times, indicating an intent to kill rather than wound or scare. Additionally, the police recovered approximately 10 rifle shell casings at the scene. The evidence is clearly sufficient to establish premeditation. The district court did not abuse its discretion when it found a factual basis for Sanchez-Cazares' guilty plea to two counts of premeditated first-degree murder. Affirmed. ABBOTT and LUCKERT, JJ., not participating LARSON, S.J., and BRAZIL, S.J., assigned. [1]