Court Opinion

ID: 9614766
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:28:01.74353+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:38.782202
License: Public Domain

*600Justice Mitchell
dissenting.
The majority bases its holding that the defendant must be awarded a new trial upon its conclusion that the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury to consider a possible verdict finding her guilty of involuntary manslaughter. I disagree and, therefore, I dissent.
The bill of indictment charging the defendant with murder was in the form prescribed by N.C.G.S. § 15-144. An indictment in such form will support a verdict finding the defendant guilty of first-degree murder, upon any of the theories set forth in N.C.G.S. § 14-17, or guilty of any lesser offense included within any of those theories. State v. Bush, 289 N.C. 159, 221 S.E.2d 333, death sentence vacated, 429 U.S. 809, 50 L. Ed. 2d 69 (1976). The State is not required at any time to elect a theory upon which it will proceed against the defendant on the charge of first-degree murder, and it is proper for the trial court to submit the issue of the defendant’s guilt to the jury on all of the theories of first-degree murder supported by substantial evidence presented at trial. State v. Strickland, 307 N.C. 274, 292, 298 S.E.2d 645, 657 (1983), modified on other grounds by State v. Johnson, 317 N.C. 193, 344 S.E.2d 775 (1986). In the present case, however, the trial court submitted the murder charge for the jury’s consideration only upon the theory of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule. Both the trial court’s instructions to the jury and the written verdict form required that the jury find the defendant guilty of first-degree murder under the felony murder theory or find her not guilty. The jury returned its verdict specifying that it found the defendant guilty of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule.
By limiting the jury to returning a verdict on the first-degree murder charge only under the felony murder theory, the trial court withdrew the other theories of first-degree murder and all lesser homicide offenses included within those theories from the jury’s consideration. Submission of the first-degree murder charge to the jury only upon the felony murder theory was the equivalent of a verdict finding her not guilty on the other theories of first-degree murder supported by the indictment upon which she had been placed in jeopardy, including the theory of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder. See State v. Adams, 266 N.C. 406, 146 S.E.2d 505 (1966); State v. Cobb, 250 N.C. 234, 108 S.E.2d 237 (1959); State v. Mundy, 243 N.C. 149, 90 S.E.2d 312 (1955); *601State v. Love, 236 N.C. 344, 72 S.E.2d 737 (1952). Additionally, it was tantamount to a verdict finding her not guilty of all lesser homicide offenses included under the theory of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder. See State v. Beach, 283 N.C. 261, 270, 196 S.E.2d 214, 220 (1973), overruled in part on other grounds by State v. Adcock, 310 N.C. 1, 310 S.E.2d 587 (1984). This Court has indicated that second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter are lesser offenses included within first-degree murder when it is based upon the theory that the murder was premeditated and deliberate. State v. Greene, 314 N.C. 649, 336 S.E.2d 87 (1985). Therefore, submission of the first-degree murder charge against the defendant to the jury only upon the felony murder theory had the effect of acquitting her of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder and its lesser included offenses of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The defendant could not thereafter be placed in jeopardy for any of those lesser offenses — offenses for which she had already been acquitted. Therefore, the trial court properly refused to instruct the jury with regard to involuntary manslaughter.
We have, it is true, made statements in prior cases that when the law and evidence justify the application of the felony murder rule, the State is not required to prove premeditation and deliberation and the trial court is not required to submit second-degree murder or manslaughter to the jury unless there is evidence to support such lesser offenses. E.g., State v. Strickland, 307 N.C. at 292, 298 S.E.2d at 657; State v. Wall, 304 N.C. 609, 613, 286 S.E.2d 68, 71 (1982); State v. Rinck, 303 N.C. 551, 565, 280 S.E.2d 912, 923 (1981); State v. Swift, 290 N.C. 383, 407, 226 S.E.2d 652, 669 (1976); State v. Miller, 219 N.C. 514, 519, 14 S.E.2d 522, 525 (1941); State v. Donnell, 202 N.C. 782, 785, 164 S.E. 352, 353 (1932). I believe, however, that such statements originally were intended to apply only to situations in which first-degree murder is submitted to the jury upon, and the trial court instructs the jury upon, both the theory of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule and the theory of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder.
Cases such as State v. Newsome, 195 N.C. 552, 143 S.E. 187 (1928); State v. Logan, 161 N.C. 235, 76 S.E. 1 (1911); and State v. Spivey, 151 N.C. 676, 65 S.E. 995 (1909), form the genesis of our statements that the jury in felony murder cases should not *602be instructed on lesser homicide offenses unless there is evidence to support them. Each of those early cases, however, were cases in which the first-degree murder charge was submitted to and considered by the jury upon both the theory of felony murder and the theory of premeditated and deliberate murder. In each of those cases, submission of lesser homicide offenses included within a charge of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder clearly would have been proper if supported by evidence. The statements in Newsome, Logan and Spivey were correct in the context of the cases in which they were made. I do not believe, however, that the Court intended to imply that first-degree murder based upon the felony murder theory included any lesser homicide offenses. Nor do I construe our reliance upon statements from those early cases in our more recent decisions such as Strickland, Wall, Rinck, Swift, Miller and Donnell as intended to support the proposition that first-degree murder based upon the felony murder theory includes any lesser homicide offense.
Not until the case of State v. Williams, 284 N.C. 67, 199 S.E.2d 409 (1973), did the statements from our early cases lead — and in my view mislead — this Court into holding that a trial court had erred by failing to instruct on lesser homicide offenses where the first-degree murder charge against a defendant had been submitted to the jury solely upon the theory of felony murder. There, the Court concluded, in essence, that if the jury believed evidence tending to show that the killing did not occur during the commission of a felony, the defendant “would not be guilty of more than murder in the second degree in the absence of proof that the killing was intentional and with premeditation and deliberation.” Id. at 75, 199 S.E.2d at 414. I agree with the conclusion of the Court in Williams that the evidence there could have supported a conviction for a lesser homicide offense included within first-degree murder on the theory of premeditation and deliberation. I believe the Court went astray, however, in holding that the trial court had erred by failing to instruct on such lesser offenses in that case in which the greater offense of first-degree murder was not submitted upon the theory that the murder was premeditated and deliberate and that theory was not before the jury. I believe that, to the extent that it indicated that a charge of first-degree murder based upon the felony murder theory includes lesser homicide offenses, Williams was not supported by reason or authority and was wrongly decided. Even if Williams was correctly decided on the point at issue, however, it has been effectively overruled by more recent cases.
*603In State v. Weaver, 306 N.C. 629, 295 S.E.2d 375 (1982), this Court adopted a definitional basis as opposed to a factual or evidentiary basis for determining whether one crime is a lesser included offense of another. In Weaver we clearly established that:
We do not agree with the proposition that the facts of a particular case should determine whether one crime is a lesser included offense of another. Rather, the definitions accorded the crimes determine whether one offense is a lesser included offense of another crime. State v. Banks, 295 N.C. 399, 415-16, 245 S.E.2d 743, 754 (1978). In other words, all of the essential elements of the lesser crime must also be essential elements included in the greater crime. If the lesser crime has an essential element which is not completely covered by the greater crime, it is not a lesser included offense. The determination is made on a definitional, not a factual basis.
Id. at 635, 295 S.E.2d at 378-79. “Since Weaver it has been the rule that the determination of whether one offense is a lesser included of another must be based on a strict analysis of the elements of the two offenses.” State v. Wortham, 318 N.C. 669, 671, 351 S.E.2d 294, 296 (1987).
When the definitional test of Weaver is applied —as opposed to the evidentiary or factual test apparently applied in Williams — it is readily apparent that neither second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter nor involuntary manslaughter can be lesser included offenses of first-degree murder when, as here, first-degree murder is submitted solely upon the theory of felony murder. First-degree murder based upon the felony murder rule has only two elements: (1) the defendant knowingly committed or attempted to commit one of the felonies indicated in N.C.G.S. § 14-7, and (2) a related killing. N.C.G.S. § 14-17 (1986). See State v. Reese, 319 N.C. 110, 145, 353 S.E.2d 352, 372 (1987); State v. Avery, 315 N.C. 1, 337 S.E.2d 786 (1985). Whether the defendant committed the killing himself, intended that the killing take place, or even knew that a killing might occur is irrelevant. State v. Reese, 319 N.C. at 145, 353 S.E.2d at 372. More specifically, a killing during the commission or attempt to commit one of the felonies indicated in the statute is murder in the first degree without regard to premeditation, deliberation or malice. State v. Wall, 304 N.C. 609, 286 S.E.2d 68. Second-degree murder, on the other hand, is defined as an unlawful killing of a human being with malice but without premedita*604tion and deliberation. State v. Greene, 314 N.C. 649, 651, 336 S.E.2d 87, 88 (quoting State v. Wrenn, 279 N.C. 676, 681-82, 185 S.E.2d 129, 132 (1971)). The element of malice which is a part of the lesser offense of second-degree murder is an element of the greater offense of first-degree murder, when first-degree murder is based upon the theory of premeditation and deliberation. For this reason, we have concluded in cases such as Greene that second-degree murder is a lesser included offense of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder. Id. Malice is not an element of the greater offense of first-degree murder, however, when the greater offense of first-degree murder is based solely upon the felony murder theory. Under the definitional test of Weaver, second-degree murder has an essential element — malice —which is not an element of first-degree murder under the felony murder theory. Therefore, second-degree murder cannot be a lesser included offense of first-degree murder, when, as here, first-degree murder is submitted to the jury based solely upon the felony murder theory. State v. Weaver, 306 N.C. 629, 295 S.E.2d 375. See State v. Davis, 305 N.C. 400, 290 S.E.2d 574 (1982) (holding that no separate offense of felony murder in the second degree is recognized in this jurisdiction).
Further, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter all include another element which is not a part of first-degree murder, when first-degree murder is based solely upon the felony murder theory. The offenses of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter each include as a necessary element that the defendant commit an intentional act which act proximately causes the death of the victim. State v. Johnson, 317 N.C. 193, 344 S.E.2d 775 (1986) (involuntary manslaughter); State v. Bondurant, 309 N.C. 674, 309 S.E.2d 170 (1983) (involuntary manslaughter); State v. Rogers, 299 N.C. 597, 264 S.E.2d 89 (1980) (voluntary manslaughter); State v. Simpson, 244 N.C. 325, 93 S.E.2d 425 (1956) (second-degree murder); State v. Ellison, 226 N.C. 628, 39 S.E.2d 824 (1946) (second-degree murder); State v. Redman, 217 N.C. 483, 8 S.E.2d 623 (1940) (second-degree murder); State v. Holsclaw, 42 N.C. App. 696, 257 S.E.2d 650, review denied and appeal dismissed, 298 N.C. 571, 261 S.E.2d 126 (1979) (second-degree murder and manslaughter). When the greater offense of first-degree murder is based solely upon the felony murder theory —as opposed to the theory of premeditation and deliberation — it does not include any element requiring that the act proximately causing the victim’s death be a voluntary act by the defendant *605or be his act at all. It is true, of course, that to establish first-degree murder under the felony murder rule there can be no break in the chain of events leading from the initial felony to the act causing death, and that the homicide must be part of a series of acts forming one continuous transaction. State v. Fields, 315 N.C. 191, 197, 337 S.E.2d 518, 522 (1985) (quoting State v. Hutchins, 303 N.C. 321, 345, 279 S.E.2d 788, 803 (1981)). First-degree murder under the felony murder theory, however, does not include the element — an essential element for all lesser homicide offenses — that the act proximately causing death be intentional. The underlying felony or attempt to commit a felony supporting the application of the felony murder rule must be intentional, but it is not necessary that the underlying felony or attempt be the act proximately causing death, or that the act actually causing death be itself an intentional act, in order that a killing be first-degree murder under the felony murder rule. See State v. Avery, 315 N.C. 1, 337 S.E.2d 786; State v. Fields, 315 N.C. 191, 337 S.E.2d 518; State v. Hutchins, 303 N.C. 321, 279 S.E.2d 788; State v. Wooten, 295 N.C. 378, 245 S.E.2d 699 (1978); State v. Squire, 292 N.C. 494, 234 S.E.2d 563, cert. denied, 434 U.S. 998, 54 L. Ed. 2d 493 (1977); State v. Covington, 290 N.C. 313, 226 S.E.2d 629 (1976); State v. Shrader, 290 N.C. 253, 225 S.E.2d 522 (1976); State v. Bush, 289 N.C. 159, 221 S.E.2d 333, death sentence vacated, 429 U.S. 809, 50 L. Ed. 2d 69; State v. Thompson, 280 N.C. 202, 185 S.E.2d 666 (1972). The act proximately causing death may be entirely unintentional or someone else’s act in cases of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule, so long as the underlying felony or attempt to commit a felony was intentional. Therefore, the lesser offenses of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter all include as an essential element that the act proximately causing death be the defendant’s intentional act, an element not included in the greater offense of first-degree murder under the felony murder theory. Accordingly, no lesser homicide offense may be considered a lesser included offense of first-degree murder under the felony murder theory, if the definitional test of Weaver is properly applied.
I do not mean to be understood as saying that the trial court could not in any event have instructed the jury on involuntary manslaughter in this case. Assuming arguendo that the evidence here would have supported a finding of involuntary manslaughter, the jury could have been permitted to consider that lesser offense, *606but only as a lesser homicide offense included within the offense of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder. The trial court, having elected for whatever reason not to submit premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder or any of its lesser included homicide offenses for the jury’s consideration after the defendant had been placed in jeopardy, in effect acquitted her of all of those offenses. She could not thereafter be convicted of any lesser homicide offenses unless they are by definition lesser offenses included within the offense of first-degree murder based upon the felony murder theory, which I believe I have shown they are not. Therefore, I conclude that the trial court did not err in refusing to instruct the jury to consider finding the defendant guilty of involuntary manslaughter as a lesser offense included within first-degree murder based upon the felony murder theory.
Finally, I believe the majority has set a trap for itself. As I have pointed out in this dissent, it is my view that the bill of indictment in this case charged the defendant with the lesser offenses of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter, but only because those lesser offenses were included within first-degree murder based upon the theory of premeditation and deliberation supported by the indictment. As I have also indicated, she has, in effect, been acquitted of premeditated and deliberate first-degree murder and all lesser homicide offenses included under that theory. I do not think she can again be placed in jeopardy and made subject to conviction for one of those lesser homicide offenses for which she has been acquitted. I leave such questions for the majority to resolve should the defendant be tried and convicted and those questions raised before this Court at a later time.
For the foregoing reasons, I dissent.
Justice WEBB joins in this dissenting opinion.