Opinion ID: 2095527
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Collection of a Debt

Text: Appellant's felony-murder charge was based upon the underlying felony of attempted robbery. [1] Appellant argues that the State failed to prove that he was engaged in an attempted robbery when the decedent was shot and therefore the evidence is not sufficient to sustain the felony-murder conviction. He maintains that he was trying to collect a debt and did not intend to rob Ellis. Interpreting a similar predecessor statute for robbery, this Court indicated that the person robbed did not have to be the actual owner of the property. Jackson v. State (1971), 257 Ind. 477, 275 N.E.2d 538. A robbery has been committed when property is taken from the person who is in lawful possession of it, such as one who is an agent for the owner. Baker v. State (1980), 273 Ind. 64, 402 N.E.2d 951. Appellant cites Cobbs v. State (1981), 275 Ind. 393, 417 N.E.2d 310, to support his assertion that evidence that he was engaged in collecting a liquidated debt is a defense which negates the element of intent required to prove a robbery. In Cobbs, the defendant approached the victim on three occasions. During the first incident, Cobbs approached the victim at work. Cobbs, armed with a gun, demanded money from the victim, stating that he was merely collecting a prior debt. The victim complied. Six days later, Cobbs and a companion approached the victim at his house where Cobbs, armed, took money from the victim. This second incident was the basis of the conviction he appealed. Two days later, the pair returned to the victim's home but left the scene without taking any money before the police arrived. Cobbs argued that the collection of an unpaid debt did not constitute the unlawful taking requisite for robbery. We held that Cobbs' taking of the money from the victim while armed was sufficient evidence and that the debt issue, upon which the parties disagreed, was a matter for the jury to resolve. Sheckles maintains that the following pronouncement by this Court was merely dictum and does not control resolution of the issue at bar: More important, even if [the victim] had undisputedly owed Cobb this money, Cobb would not have been justified in taking the money by threatening to use force or by placing [the victim] in fear; Cobbs' actions would still have constituted a robbery. Cobbs, 417 N.E.2d at 311. Here, the debtor, Ellis, testified that he gave his watch to Sheckles as security for a loan. However, the law does not sanction the use of self-help with firearms as a debt collection device. It does not permit creditors to rely on violence, threats, or weapons to collect debts; they should seek redress through the appropriate legal and peaceful channels. [2] Indeed, in writing the criminal code, the legislature has defined property to include property in the possession of the victim and in which the accused has an interest. [3] We now hold that a creditor's attempt to collect by force a secured loan does not negate the criminal intent element of robbery.