In Re Borrero

167 P.3d 1106
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 13, 2007
Docket78999-1
StatusPublished
Cited by48 cases

This text of 167 P.3d 1106 (In Re Borrero) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Borrero, 167 P.3d 1106 (Wash. 2007).

Opinion

167 P.3d 1106 (2007)

In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Aaron Edward BORRERO, Petitioner.

No. 78999-1.

Supreme Court of Washington, En Banc.

Considered May 3, 2007.
Decided September 13, 2007.

*1107 Sheryl Gordon McCloud, Law Offices of Sheryl Gordon McCloud, Seattle, WA, for Petitioner.

Norman Kim Maleng, Attorney at Law, Ann Marie Summers, King County Prosecutor's Office, Seattle, WA, for Respondent.

MADSEN, J.

¶ 1 Personal restraint petitioner Aaron Borrero contends that his convictions for first degree kidnapping and attempted first degree murder violate the double jeopardy proscriptions of the state and federal constitutions. Relying on In re Personal Restraint of Orange, 152 Wash.2d 795, 100 P.3d 291 (2004), he maintains that the evidence of the kidnapping was the same evidence used to establish the substantial step element of the attempted murder. However, he has not established the claimed double jeopardy violation, and we therefore dismiss the personal restraint petition.

FACTS

¶ 2 In March 1997, Leslie Lemieux took a duffle bag containing marijuana to Kyle Anderson's home to complete a prearranged sale to Anderson. When Lemieux walked into the house, Borrero pointed a pistol at him and ordered him to lie down and Michael Vaughn held a shotgun to the back of Lemieux's head. Borrero tied Lemieux's hands and feet with wire. The marijuana was removed from the duffle bag and Lemieux was stuffed into it. Lemieux was then carried out and placed in the back of his jeep. After several hours' driving time, Lemieux was taken from the jeep while still tied and Borrero and Vaughn threw him into the Yakima River. He managed to break the bond between his hands and feet and reach the river-bank undetected. Lemieux contacted a passing motorist who summoned police.

¶ 3 Borrero was arrested in California two months later and ultimately charged with first degree kidnapping while armed with a deadly weapon and attempted first degree murder. At trial both Lemieux and Vaughn testified to the events described above; Borrero denied any involvement. Vaughn also testified that he, Borrero, and Anderson planned to rob Lemieux and then drown him, and that Anderson seized the marijuana while Lemieux was being held at gunpoint. A jury convicted Borrero on both counts and also returned a special verdict finding that Borrero was armed with a deadly weapon during commission of the kidnapping.

¶ 4 Borrero appealed, contending among other things that the trial court erroneously held the information was sufficient despite the fact it did not allege all the necessary elements of first degree murder in that it failed to expressly allege the "substantial step" element of the criminal attempt. The Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions. On discretionary review, this court affirmed the Court of Appeals, holding, among other things, that the information was sufficient because the element of "substantial step" was adequately conveyed by the word "attempt." State v. Borrero, 147 Wash.2d 353, 363, 58 P.3d 245 (2002).

¶ 5 Borrero filed a personal restraint petition, which was dismissed. Borrero filed this second personal restraint petition in this court, arguing that the evidence necessary to prove the kidnapping also proved the "substantial step" toward committing murder. *1108 He claims his convictions therefore violate double jeopardy principles.

ANALYSIS

¶ 6 Generally, on collateral review a petitioner must make a threshold showing of constitutional error causing actual prejudice or nonconstitutional error that constitutes a fundamental defect inherently resulting in a complete miscarriage of justice. In re Pers. Restraint of Dalluge, 152 Wash.2d 772, 777, 100 P.3d 279 (2004); In re Pers. Restraint of Cook, 114 Wash.2d 802, 813, 792 P.2d 506 (1990). Because Borrero alleges constitutional error, he bears the burden of establishing actual prejudice by a preponderance of the evidence. In re Pers. Restraint of Lord, 152 Wash.2d 182, 188, 94 P.3d 952 (2004). However, this burden is waived if the particular error gives rise to a conclusive presumption of prejudice. Orange, 152 Wash.2d at 804, 100 P.3d 291. If, as Borrero contends, he was unconstitutionally punished for two offenses in violation of double jeopardy principles, prejudice is established.

¶ 7 The double jeopardy clauses of the state and federal constitutions provide the same protection. Id. at 815, 100 P.3d 291; State v. Gocken, 127 Wash.2d 95, 107, 896 P.2d 1267 (1995); see U.S. CONST. amend. V; WASH. CONST. art. I, § 9. Among other things, double jeopardy principles bar multiple punishments for the same offense. Orange, 152 Wash.2d at 815, 100 P.3d 291; State v. Calle, 125 Wash.2d 769, 776, 888 P.2d 155 (1995). But, if the defendant's act supports charges under two statutes, the court must determine whether the legislature intended to authorize multiple punishments for the crimes in question. Orange, 152 Wash.2d at 815-16, 100 P.3d 291; Calle, 125 Wash.2d at 776, 888 P.2d 155 (citing Whalen v. United States, 445 U.S. 684, 688, 100 S.Ct. 1432, 63 L.Ed.2d 715 (1980)). If the legislature intended that cumulative punishments can be imposed for the crimes, double jeopardy is not offended. State v. Freeman, 153 Wash.2d 765, 771, 108 P.3d 753 (2005).

¶ 8 If the language of the criminal statutes under which the defendant has been punished does not expressly disclose legislative intent with respect to multiple punishments, the court then considers principles of statutory construction to determine whether multiple punishments are authorized. Calle, 125 Wash.2d at 777, 888 P.2d 155. The "same evidence" or Blockburger test (Blockburger v. United States, 284 U.S. 299, 304, 52 S.Ct. 180, 76 L.Ed. 306 (1932)), is the primary rule of statutory construction used. Under this test, double jeopardy principles are violated if the defendant is convicted of offenses that are identical in fact and in law. State v. Louis, 155 Wash.2d 563, 569, 120 P.3d 936 (2005); Calle, 125 Wash.2d at 777, 888 P.2d 155.

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Bluebook (online)
167 P.3d 1106, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-borrero-wash-2007.