Opinion ID: 1874414
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Directed Verdict Burglary Aggravator

Text: Alley complains that he was entitled to a directed verdict on the uncharged crime of burglary which was used as an aggravating factor because he asserts that there was insufficient evidence of that offense. KRS 511.020 defines burglary in its relevant part as follows: A person is guilty of burglary in the first degree when, with the intent to commit a crime, he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building, and when in effecting entry or while in the building or in the immediate flight therefrom, he or another participant in the crime: (a) Is armed with explosives or a deadly weapon; or (b) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or (c) Uses or threatens the use of a dangerous instrument against any person who is not a participant in the crime. Here, Alley entered the store with a .22 caliber rifle and the intent to shoot the first victim. Evidence of criminal intent is the key to the proper application of the burglary statutes. Commonwealth v. Partee, 122 S.W.3d 572 (Ky.2003). The second victim, who was the manager of the store and knew of the stalking and harassing warrants filed by the first victim, ordered Alley to leave the store. Bowling v. Commonwealth, 942 S.W.2d 293 (Ky.1997) recognized that the defendant in that case had the privilege to enter the store, but that his permission to be on the premises expired when he committed the criminal acts charged. In this instance, Alley did not take anything from the store and left immediately after the shootings, but he did wound the second victim. Cf. Tribbett v. Commonwealth, 561 S.W.2d 662 (Ky.1978); Fugate v. Commonwealth, 993 S.W.2d 931 (Ky.1999). Under these circumstances, the finding of an aggravator was proper. A directed verdict was not appropriate in this case. Commonwealth v. Sawhill, 660 S.W.2d 3 (Ky.1983).