State v. Murphy
State v. Murphy
Opinion of the Court
On evidence tending to establish that defendant and another entered a business, demanded money, and ordered a clerk to move as directed, the jury convicted defendant of burglary, acquitted him of kidnapping, and was unable to reach a verdict on robbery. Contending that retrial of the robbery charge would violate double jeopardy, defendant successfully moved for a dismissal of that charge. The state appeals that ruling. We affirm.
On the evidence presented in this case, the victim was restrained and that restraint was with the intent to aid in the commission of a felony. The only bases on which a rational jury could have acquitted were either that the restraint was accomplished without physical force or intimidation or that it did not substantially interfere with the victim’s liberty. Because all questioning of the victim related to whether physical force or the threat of physical force was used and because she disclaimed that it was, we believe the trial judge properly found that the jury acquitted on the kidnapping charge for failure to establish that element. There is nothing in the record to suggest any other basis for the acquittal. That being so, and the evidence of force or threat as to kidnapping also being the only evidence of force or threat for robbery, the trial court correctly ruled that the state was collaterally estopped to relitigate that issue. Dismissal of the robbery charge was, therefore, proper.
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.