Opinion ID: 2623122
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Insufficient evidence to establish premeditation

Text: When the sufficiency of the evidence is challenged in a criminal case, the standard of review is whether, after review of all the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the appellate court is convinced that a rational factfinder could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Beach, 275 Kan. 603, Syl. ¶ 2, 67 P.3d 121 (2003). Holmes first argues he was not capable of forming the necessary state of mind to premeditate a murder due to his drug intoxication. Second, he asserts that the shooting was accidental, pointing to the malfunctioning gun to support his position. Third, Holmes reasons that if he intended to kill the victim, he was afforded the opportunity with the hammer blow and since no serious injury resulted at that time, the subsequent shooting was accidental. He asserts a rational jury could not have found him guilty of first-degree murder because these three circumstances raise a reasonable doubt about his guilt. The State disputes Homes' reasons and asserts that the evidence was sufficient to establish premeditated murder. The State points to evidence showing that Holmes fired a single shot to Smith's heart at pointblank range without provocation and then chose to finish his remaining drugs despite Smith's need for medical assistance. Holmes cites State v. Ludlow, 256 Kan. 139, 147, 883 P.2d 1144 (1994), in arguing that his drug intoxication was so severe it caused him to hallucinate and, thus, he was incapable of forming the requisite state of mind. However, the Ludlow court held there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's finding that the defendant was capable of forming the requisite premeditation because he showed no outward signs of physical or mental impairment, appeared stable, and had the presence of mind to drive the victim's automobile to the airport, purchase airline tickets using a false name, and board the airplane. Additionally, the court found that even if the defendant experienced memory loss, it would not mean that the defendant was incapable of forming premeditation. 256 Kan. at 147-48. In this case, Holmes testified that he believed Smith was dead and made the choice to finish his remaining drugs that he had in his pocket. As a result, Holmes had a seizure after the drug intake. Despite the drug-induced seizure, Holmes was able to call 911 and tell them that he had shot his girlfriend. Neither Officers Bachman nor Easter noticed that Holmes exhibited any signs of impairment during their first encounter with him. Holmes showed no outward signs of mental impairment, he suffered no memory loss, and he was able to testify in detail regarding the events before and after the shooting. Moreover, he was able to explain the reasoning behind his actions at that time. Using the Ludlow factors, Holmes was capable of forming the requisite premeditation. See 256 Kan. at 147-51. Premeditation is a state of mind and may be inferred from the established circumstances of the case, provided the inference is a reasonable one. In such a case, the jury has the right to make the inference. State v. Parker, 273 Kan. 56, 63, 41 P.3d 789 (2002). A conviction of even the gravest offense may be sustained by circumstantial evidence. State v. Davis, 275 Kan. 107, 118, 61 P.3d 701 (2003). Additionally, application of the following authority leads to the same conclusion. See State v. Scott, 271 Kan. 103, 108, 21 P.3d 516, cert. denied 534 U.S. 1047; State v. Decker, 275 Kan. 502, Syl. ¶ 5, 66 P.3d 915 (2003). Premeditation does not necessarily mean that an act is planned, contrived, or schemed beforehand; rather, that premeditation indicates a time of reflection or deliberation. Scott, 271 Kan. at 108. Premeditation may be inferred by the jury from various circumstances, including (1) the nature of the weapon used, (2) the 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, or (5) the dealing of lethal blows after the deceased was felled and rendered helpless. Decker, 275 Kan. 502, Syl. ¶ 5. Applying Decker to this case, the primary weapon utilized in this case was a gun. The firearms examiner testified that the bullets found in the gun were not specifically manufactured for the gun. When the gun did not have ammunition, pulling the trigger would result in a click but no advancement. The examiner found that one of the bullets had a strike mark indicating that the weapon did not rotate; however, the gun fired properly when the examiner tested the gun with the same type of bullet which killed the victim. Holmes argues that the defect found in the weapon supports his argument that he heard the gun click and was not sure if the gun was loaded; thus, the shooting was accidental. He contends this evidence raises doubt about his guilt in the mind of a rational jury. However, Holmes' own testimony demonstrates that he thought the gun was unsafe. He testified that [a]fter the third click . . . it wasn't in my mind that it was gonna go off. But I didn'tI didn't know if it had one bullet in it or what was going on. But I was just thinkin', for some reason, that she was still tryingand I did that, so I was really thinkin' that she could hurt me. Although the gun might have been malfunctioning, Holmes' prior experience in the military and his testimony support the belief that he considered the gun to be harmful. Premeditation can also be inferred by lack of provocation. State v. Sanchez-Cazares, 276 Kan. 451, 459, 78 P.3d 55 (2004). After Smith warned Holmes that she had a gun, the two struggled. Eventually, Holmes pinned Smith to the floor and pointed the gun at her. By the time the gun fired, Holmes had control of the gun and of Smith. No provocation existed. Holmes' conduct before and after the killing can also be used to infer premeditation. See State v. Boone, 277 Kan. 208, 222, 83 P.3d 195 (2004). Prior to the shooting, Holmes struck the victim in the head with a hammer. Holmes claimed that if he intended to kill the victim, his hammer blow would have been fatal and since she was not seriously injured, her death resulted from an accidental shooting caused by the struggle for the gun. Even if this court were to conclude that his conduct before the killing did not infer premeditation, his conduct after the killing supports the jury verdict. After he shot Smith, Holmes saw that she had stopped moving and blood was bubbling out of her mouth. Instead of providing immediate aid, Holmes finished the remaining drugs in his possession. He had a drug-induced seizure and only after he recovered did he contact 911. The time is disputed; Holmes believed that the time was 6 to 7 minutes, where the State contends it was 2 hours. However, the serious nature of the injury necessitated immediate medical attention which Holmes did not provide. Premeditation can also be inferred from threats and declarations made by Holmes before and during the occurrence. See Decker, 275 Kan. 502, Syl. ¶ 5. Holmes threatened Smith that he could or would kill her after Smith was on the ground. He testified that he was not trying to say I'm going to kill you but was trying to make her stop fightin' me over [the gun]. Holmes also testified that Smith's hands were still on the gun, [b]ut I had more control over the gun than she had. Plus, he testified that he had straddled her and pinned her to the floor with one knee. Holmes' statements can be considered threats since he had control over the gun and Smith. The dealing of lethal blows after the deceased was felled and rendered helpless is another circumstance for a jury to infer premeditation. Decker, 275 Kan. 502, Syl. ¶ 5. No evidence of such further lethal blows was presented. Nevertheless, the other four circumstances demonstrate that premeditation was established by sufficient evidence. A rational jury could have found Holmes guilty of first-degree murder beyond a reasonable doubt.