Opinion ID: 162966
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Oklahoma Law Regarding Malice Murder and Aiding and Abetting

Text: 26 In considering the OCCA's application of the Jackson sufficiency of the evidence standard, we apply Oklahoma law regarding the substantive elements of the offense. See Wingfield v. Massie, 122 F.3d 1329, 1332-34 (10th Cir.1997) (applying Oklahoma law in habeas action challenging the sufficiency of the evidence); Sanders/Miller v. Logan, 710 F.2d 645, 650-54 (10th Cir.1983) (same). In the state court proceedings at issue here, Mr. Torres was convicted of two counts of murder in the first degree with malice aforethought, violations of Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 701.7(A). Section 701.7(A) provides: 27 A person commits murder in the first degree when that person unlawfully and with malice aforethought causes the death of another human being. Malice is that deliberate intention unlawfully to take away the life of a human being, which is manifested by external circumstances capable of proof. 28 Oklahoma law also provides that persons who aid and abet in the commission of a crime may be convicted as principals. See Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 172 (stating that persons concerned in the commission of crime, ... whether they directly commit the act constituting the offense, or aid and abet in its commission, though not present, are principals). 29 As we noted in Wingfield, the OCCA has held that in order to convict an aider and abetter as a principal in a malice murder prosecution under Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 701.7A, the prosecution must prove the following elements: (1) that the defendant personally intended the death of the victim; and (2) that the defendant aided and abetted with full knowledge of the perpetrator's intent. Wingfield, 122 F.3d at 1332 (citing Johnson v. State, 928 P.2d 309, 315 (Okla.Ct.Crim.App.1996)); see also Torres, 962 P.2d at 15 (stating these same elements). Additionally, under Oklahoma law, a defendant charged under an aiding and abetting theory may only be convicted if he or she engages in `acts, words or gestures encouraging the commission of the offense, either before or at the time of the offense.' Wingfield, 122 F.3d at 1332 (quoting VanWoundenberg v. State, 720 P.2d 328, 333 (Okla.Ct.Crim. App.1986)). Moreover, `mere mental assent to or acquiescence in the commission of a crime by one who did not procure or advise its perpetration, who takes no part therein, gives no counsel and utters no word of encouragement to the perpetrator, however wrong morally, does not in law constitute such person a participant in the crime.' Id. (quoting Turner v. State, 477 P.2d 76, 83 (Okla.Ct.Crim.App.1970)). Still, only slight participation is needed to change a person's status from mere spectator into an aider and abetter. Spears v. State, 900 P.2d 431, 438 (Okla.Ct.Crim. App.1995). 30 Applying these precepts to challenges by habeas petitioners, this circuit has reached different conclusions as to whether the evidence supported a rational juror's inference that the petitioner intended the death of the victims. The different conclusions may be explained by different facts. In Wingfield, 122 F.3d at 1333-34, we concluded that there was sufficient evidence from which a reasonable juror could have inferred that the defendant personally intended the death of the victim. We relied upon evidence tending to show that the defendant had stated an intent to kill the victim, the defendant directed the victim to the killer, and the defendant showed no remorse and helped dispose of the victim's body. Id. at 1333. Therefore, we reversed the federal district court's grant of the writ. In contrast, in Sanders/Miller, 710 F.2d at 652-54, we concluded that the habeas petitioner was entitled to relief and thus reversed the district court's denial of a habeas petition, reasoning that the evidence supports no more than the conclusion that the defendant aided and abetted a robbery, knowing that [the robber] would commit that offense. Id. at 653. There was no evidence in the record that the defendant knew that the robber had a gun on the night of the robbery or owned a gun. Id. Further, the evidence indicated that the defendant expressed shock when she learned the robber had shot the victim and had to be calmed before fleeing. Id. at 653-54. 31 We have also offered the following guideposts: 32 Although [t]he meaning of the word `intent' in the criminal law has always been rather obscure, there are a few guideposts we can rely upon in our present inquiry. First, a jury is permitted to draw inferences of subjective intent from a defendant's objective acts. Thus, even when a defendant, as here, denies having the requisite intent, a jury may disbelieve the defendant if [the defendant's] words and acts in the light of all the circumstances make [the defendant's] explanation seem improbable. Second, a jury is permitted to find that a defendant intends those consequences which he announces a desire to accomplish. 33 Wingfield, 122 F.3d at 1333 (quoting 1 Wayne R. LaFave & Austin W. Scott, Jr., Substantive Criminal Law § 3.5, at 302, 318 (1986) (other internal citations omitted)).