Opinion ID: 1347972
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: charging instrument

Text: Unless otherwise provided by law, a prosecution shall be commenced by filing a complaint with a magistrate. K.S.A. 22-2301. The complaint shall be a plain and concise written statement of the essential facts constituting the crime charged. K.S.A. 22-3201(b). Two or more crimes may be charged against a defendant in the same complaint, information, or indictment in a separate count for each crime if the crimes charged, whether felonies or misdemeanors or both, are of the same or similar character or are based on the same act or transaction or on two or more acts or transactions connected together or constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. K.S.A. 22-3202(1). The purpose of a complaint or information is to inform the accused of the particular offense or offenses with which the defendant is charged and which the defendant must defend against at time of trial. K.S.A. 21-3107(1) states which crimes may be alleged in a complaint or information by the State and how the offenses must be alleged in the charging instrument. K.S.A. 21-3107(2) requires that upon prosecution, the accused may be convicted of either a crime charged in a complaint or information or an included crime, but not both. K.S.A. 21-3107 provides statutory authority where the criminal conduct of a defendant, although consisting of a single transaction, may result in a multiple violation of the criminal code, for which the defendant may be severally prosecuted. State v. Pencek, 224 Kan. 725, Syl. ¶ 2, 585 P.2d 1052 (1978). The prosecution may not split a single offense into separate parts where there is a single wrongful act which does not furnish the basis for more than one criminal prosecution. The test concerning whether a single transaction may constitute two separate and distinct offenses is whether the same evidence is required to sustain each charge. If not, the fact that both charges relate to and grow out of the same transaction does not create a single offense where two distinct offenses are defined by statute. State v. Chears, 231 Kan. 161, Syl. ¶ 2, 643 P.2d 154 (1982). Though for different purposes, the same test is used in determining whether offenses charged in a complaint or information constitute lesser included offenses and multiple charges under 21-3107 or in determining whether a prosecution is barred by a former prosecution for a crime arising out of the same conduct under 21-3108. State v. Mourning, 233 Kan. 678, Syl. ¶ 1, 664 P.2d 857 (1983). Mincey was charged and convicted of: (1) aiding and abetting attempted first-degree murder; (2) conspiracy to commit first-degree murder; (3) aiding and abetting aggravated robbery; and (4) conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. The fact that an accused is charged with and convicted of multiple crimes is not in and of itself a violation of the Double Jeopardy Clause. The clause merely prevents a defendant from being convicted and punished more than once for the same crime. In State v. Webber, 260 Kan. 263, 918 P.2d 609 (1996), Webber was also charged with and convicted of both conspiracy to commit murder and aiding and abetting murder. The defendant appealed, claiming the charges were multiplicitous. Referring to K.S.A. 21-3107 the Webber court rejected defendant's argument that the same facts were used to prove both conspiracy and aiding and abetting. It pointed out that multiplicity does not depend upon whether the facts proved at trial are actually used to support conviction of both offenses charged; rather, it turns upon whether the necessary elements of proof of the one crime are included in the other. 260 Kan. at 283 (quoting State v. Hobson, 234 Kan. 133, Syl. ¶ 3, 671 P.2d 1365 [1983]). Citing Hobson, the Webber court concluded that conspiracy and aiding and abetting are not multiple prosecutions because each crime charged requires proof of a separate element. Hobson is also factually similar to this case. Hobson was charged with and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and with aiding and abetting first-degree murder. Hobson appealed, claiming the charges were duplicitous (multiple prosecutions). Although the parties raised the issue as a question of duplicity, the question was whether the charges and convictions were multiple charges and convictions. In determining whether Hobson's convictions were multiple, the Hobson court first stated that the test is whether each of the offenses charged requires proof of an additional element of the crime which the other does not; if an additional fact is required, the offenses are not duplicitous (multiple). 234 Kan. at 137 (citing Jarrell v. State, 212 Kan. 171, 175, 510 P.2d 127 [1973]). Mincey acknowledges that her aiding and abetting and conspiracy convictions stand under the Hobson and Webber tests, but argues the test to determine if convictions are multiple was expanded in State v. Fike, 243 Kan. 365, and State v. Warren, 252 Kan. 169. Under the expanded test, Mincey argues that the charges are multiple. The State argues, however, that under either test, Mincey's conviction for each crime is correct. Initially, it is important to note that the issue in Fike was not whether criminal charges were multiple, but whether the trial court failed to instruct on lesser included offenses as required by K.S.A. 21-3107. Because the Warren court discussed the similarities between the concepts of multiple convictions and lesser included offenses, the Court of Appeals and Mincey mistakenly assumed that Fike had expanded the traditional element test to determine if convictions are multiple punishments for the offenses. In Warren, the defendant and two coconspirators agreed that Warren would drop the accomplices off at the mall, where they would steal a purse. Warren would drive the getaway car. Warren's accomplices stole a woman's purse and in the process knocked her to the ground. The 87-year-old woman was severely injured when knocked to the ground. Defendant was convicted of aiding and abetting aggravated robbery, aiding and abetting aggravated battery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Warren argued that the crimes of aiding and abetting to commit aggravated robbery and aggravated battery were multiple convictions. To support his argument, Warren relied upon two Court of Appeals decisions in which the terms multiplicity and lesser included offense were used interchangeably. The Court of Appeals applied the Fike test for lesser included offenses. Determining that the similarity between the two areas was confusing, the Warren court analyzed the history of multiple convictions and lesser included offenses. Following State v. Games, 229 Kan. 368, 373, 624 P.2d 448 (1981), the Warren court noted that (1) a single offense may not be divided into separate parts; generally, a single wrongful act may not furnish the basis for more than one criminal prosecution; (2) if each offense charged requires proof of a fact not required in proving the other, the offenses do not merge; (3) where offenses are committed separately and severally, at different times and at different places, they do not arise out of a single wrongful act. 252 Kan. at 175. K.S.A. 21-3107 prohibits multiple charges of the same crime in the complaint. It also requires the trial court to instruct the jury not only as to the crime charged, but also as to all lesser crimes of which the accused might be found guilty under the information or indictment and upon the evidence adduced and prohibits multiple convictions. Thus, it is not surprising that there is confusion regarding the law of multiple charges and multiple convictions. Mincey challenged the charging instrument, her convictions, and their constitutionality. Therefore, applying the tests discussed to the facts of this case, we are able to quickly determine the crimes of aiding and abetting and conspiracy do not have the same elements. K.S.A. 21-3205 provides: (1) A person is criminally responsible for a crime committed by another if such person intentionally aids, abets, advises, hires, counsels or procures the other to commit the crime. K.S.A. 21-3302 provides, in relevant part: (a) A conspiracy is an agreement with another person to commit a crime or to assist in committing a crime. No person may be convicted of a conspiracy unless an overt act in furtherance of such conspiracy is alleged and proved to have been committed by such person or by a coconspirator. Having found that the crimes of aiding and abetting and conspiracy do not have the same elements, we next must determine whether the same act was used to prove both crimes. Mincey agreed to rob someone, discussed killing the victim if necessary to avoid getting caught, and helped her coconspirators plan the crime. In short, there is no doubt that she entered into the agreement necessary to be guilty of violating K.S.A. 21-3302. However, she is not guilty of conspiracy unless she or one of her coconspirators committed an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy. Her coconspirators committed many acts in carrying out the crimes. These facts are sufficient to convict Mincey of conspiracy. To be convicted of aiding and abetting, Mincey must have facilitated the crime. Had Mincey only assisted in planning the crime, she could argue that the convictions were multiple because the same act, planning and encouraging, would be used for charging two separate crimes. Here, Mincey actually aided in the crime. She gave van keys to her coconspirators, who went to the victim's house; gained access by tricking the victim; and raped, robbed, and stabbed the victim. These acts of the coconspirators were not necessary to Mincey's conspiracy conviction. Conspiracy and aiding and abetting another offense are not multiplicitous. Each offense requires proof of an element not required by the other. Conspiracy requires an agreement to commit a crime, while aiding and abetting requires actual participation in the act constituting the offense. The defendant's acts support the two crimes; therefore, the convictions for aiding and abetting aggravated robbery (actual participation) and conspiracy (an agreement to commit the crime of aggravated robbery) are not multiple.