Court Opinion

ID: 9619551
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:29:38.382471+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:42.232543
License: Public Domain

KAUS, J.
I concur in the judgment. I write separately to express a narrower view of what I consider the crucial evidence. Given the short span of time involved in this case—an interval that may have been as short as five seconds—I believe the jury could reasonably have found that Washington’s conduct in pointing and discharging the shotgun was the “initiation of a gun-battle” which led to his co-felon’s death. Under our cases, that malicious act is sufficient to sustain the murder convictions of both Washington and Caldwell. In light of this conclusion, there is no need to determine whether Caldwell’s reckless driving was a proximate cause of the death or whether there is substantial evidence to support an implied finding that Caldwell possessed a handgun at the scene of the shooting. These factors may have added to the tension of the situation but they are not critical in the play of events.
In denying a motion for new trial, the trial court expressly relied on Washington’s actions to support the jury’s verdict, at the same time explaining why the jury may have found Washington in possession of a shotgun and yet acquitted him of assault on Officers Hunt and McSweeney: “ . . . Now, the fact about that instant moment when Washington is alleged to have been hanging out the passenger window with the shotgun pointed in the direction of the windshield of the police car, there was some conflict, as I recall, whether or not in fact the shot was fired before the shotgun was *226jarred out of his possession or whether it discharged as it was skidding on the street towards the curb, [f] There was also some testimony from one of the deputies that it was pointed directly at the windshield. Certainly it was that act with that gun pointing out the window that precipitated the entire gun battle, at least based on the jury’s findings. That must be what they concluded. But they were not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that he pulled the trigger as he was hanging out the window. ...” (Italics added.)
Grodin, J., concurred.