Court Opinion

ID: 9723499
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 10:18:08.555883+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:49.231186
License: Public Domain

*622CONOVER, Presiding Judge,
concurring.
I concur with the majority, but wish to state my reasons for so doing.
First, I agree the instructions are erroneous in light of Justice v. State (1988), .Ind., 530 N.E.2d 295; and Gilliam v. State (1987), Ind., 508 N.E.2d 1270. Both cases reaffirm the proposition that intent to commit a felony may not be reasonably presumed from the fact of (a) breaking, (b) entering, and/or (c) flight, either singly, together, or in any combination thereof, as a matter of law, as I read these cases. Some other evidence which provides “a solid basis to support a reasonable inference” defendant intended to commit the underlying felony must be present before a jury reasonably may infer the intent necessary to convict a defendant of burglary. Justice, 530 N.E.2d at 297; Gilliam, 508 N.E. 2d at 1271. The evidence of breaking, entering, and flight “must be tied to some other evidence which is strongly corroborative of the actor’s intent." Justice, Id. (emphasis mine).
Clearly in this case there is substantial evidence of (a) breaking, (b) entering, and (c) possibly, flight (although that is not as readily apparent as the first two). None of this evidence, either standing alone or in combination can give rise to a reasonable inference Hahn intended to commit a felony while inside the building, as a matter of law. Thus, the sole question is whether the mere moving of the bicycle (majority) next to the broken window (dissent) constitutes “strongly corroborative evidence” providing “a solid basis to support a reasonable inference” Hahn intended to commit the underlying felony of theft in this case.
Because we are to review this question as a matter of law under Justice and Gilliam, I do not believe the mere moving of a bicycle in a room where there is some evidence Hahn intended to spend the night rises to the required level of “strongly corroborative evidence” Hahn intended to commit theft. A reasonable inference Hahn intended to steal the bicycle cannot arise without some solid evidence Hahn attempted to take the bicycle from the premises, i.e., imbedded broken glass in the seat; cuts in the tires, or other evidence strongly suggesting such an attempt was made. While one may speculate that was his intent from the mere moving of the bicycle, such evidence does not rise to the required “solid basis” necessary to support a reasonable inference thereof.
For those reasons, I concur.