People v. Canizales

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The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the trial court upholding Defendants' convictions of two counts of attempted murder, holding that the evidence was insufficient to support an instruction on the kill zone theory in connection with one of the two alleged attempted murder victims.Defendants were jointly charged and tried on counts including first degree murder and two attempted murders. The trial court gave a kill zone instruction in connection with one of the two alleged attempted murder victims. Under the kill zone theory, a defendant may be convicted of the attempted murder of an individual who was not the defendant's primary target. The court of appeals upheld the attempted murder convictions. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) a jury may convict a defendant under the kill zone theory only when the evidence supports a finding that the defendant harbored the requisite specific intent to kill both the primary target and everyone within the zone of fatal harm; and (2) there was insufficient evidence in the record to support an instruction on the kill zone theory. View "People v. Canizales" on Justia Law