State Of Washington v. Joshua Lambert

395 P.3d 1080, 199 Wash. App. 51
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 22, 2017
Docket70844-9-I
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 395 P.3d 1080 (State Of Washington v. Joshua Lambert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Of Washington v. Joshua Lambert, 395 P.3d 1080, 199 Wash. App. 51 (Wash. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

Schindler, J.

¶1 Joshua David Lambert has a history of fixating on guns while using methamphetamine. Armed with a knife on October 3, 2011, Lambert went to the house of his 80-year-old paternal grandfather George Lambert to steal guns. Lambert assaulted and brutally murdered his grandfather, tied up his 66-year-old great-aunt, and stole her car. Lambert drove to his mother’s house to steal guns. Lambert confronted his 80-year-old maternal grandfather August Eisner in the driveway and demanded the keys to the garage, which contained a gun safe. When Eisner refused to give him the keys, Lambert brutally murdered him. Before he was arrested, Lambert went to the apartment of an acquaintance to steal a weapon. A jury convicted Lambert of two counts of premeditated murder and felony murder in the first degree predicated on burglary in the first degree, three counts of burglary in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree, taking a motor vehicle without permission in the second degree, and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree. Murder in the first degree and burglary in the first degree are alternative means crimes. The court instructed the jury that it need not unanimously agree on the means. Where sufficient evidence supports each of the alternative means of committing *55 a crime, jury unanimity is not required. But where insufficient evidence supports one of the alternative means, the conviction cannot stand. Lambert contends insufficient evidence supports the felony murder convictions of George Lambert and August Eisner predicated on burglary in the first degree. Lambert also argues the to-convict jury instructions on felony murder omitted an essential element, the murder in the first degree and burglary in the first degree convictions violate double jeopardy, the court violated his constitutional right to represent himself, and the court erred by ruling on his motion to acquit by reason of insanity at the end of trial. Because insufficient evidence supports the felony murder conviction of August Eisner predicated on burglary in the first degree of the residence of Lambert’s mother and stepfather, we reverse the felony murder conviction of Eisner and burglary in the first degree of the residence of Lambert’s mother and stepfather. On remand, the State may retry Lambert on only premeditated murder in the first degree and burglary in the first degree on the deadly weapon prong. In all other respects, we affirm.

FACTS

¶2 Joshua David Lambert is the son of Rick Lambert and Susan Lambert and the father of S.L. Lambert has a history of using methamphetamine. In 2001 and 2002, Lambert was convicted of unlawful possession of methamphetamine. When S.L. was 3 years old, the court appointed Susan Lambert and her spouse James Coffin as the legal guardians of S.L. In 2005, Lambert moved to Alaska. In March 2006, Lambert was convicted of assault in the third degree. In October or November 2010, 29-year-old Lambert returned from Alaska to live with his mother, stepfather, and 12-year-old S.L. at their residence on Hastie Lake Road in Oak Harbor, Washington. Lambert lived in a van parked in the driveway.

*56 ¶3 In spring 2011, Susan Lambert and Coffin suspected Lambert was using drugs and were concerned about the safety of S.L. Coffin was also concerned for his own safety and “started keeping a gun in the house” and “would wear it in the house . . . until Susie came home.” Coffin owned several guns that he kept locked in a gun safe in the garage.

¶4 After a fight with a neighbor, Susan told Lambert he had to leave. Coffin testified Lambert’s “drinking had escalated to violence, and we couldn’t have him on the property . . . once he was doing violent things.” Lambert sold the van and lived in a tent in a heavily wooded area located approximately 100 yards from the Hastie Lake Road residence.

¶5 When Lambert used methamphetamine, he became paranoid, fixated on guns, and engaged in “ ‘gun-searching behavior.’ ” On October 2, 2011, Lambert stole a 12 gauge shotgun that belonged to Coffin from the garage. Lambert “sawed the shotgun off,” removed the serial number, and hid the gun in the woods.

¶6 The next day, on October 3, Lambert could not remember where he hid the shotgun. Lambert decided to walk to his uncle Jeffrey Lambert’s house to “steal guns.” Because “there appeared to be a whole bunch of people” at the house, Lambert decided to go to his paternal grandfather’s house on Oldenburg Lane in Oak Harbor to steal guns.

¶7 Eighty-year-old George Lambert lived with his 66-year-old sister Kay Gage at the house on Oldenburg Lane. After he suffered a “major stroke” in 2005, George had significant “mobility issues” and used a “lift chair.” Lambert and his grandfather had a close relationship. Lambert would often visit his grandfather and help do yard work.

¶8 Lambert arrived at the house at approximately 2:30 p.m. Lambert carried a folding knife in his pocket. Gage was in the driveway loading her car with items from the garage to take to storage. Gage told Lambert his grandfather was in the living room doing crossword puzzles. Lambert en *57 tered the house through the front door and immediately locked the door behind him. George Lambert was standing in front of his lift chair in the living room.

¶9 Lambert was on a “ ‘mission’ ” to get a gun and confronted George. Lambert said, “ ‘I put the knife in his face, which is the universal term for freeze. And ... he wasn’t scared at all.... Not one bit of fear were in his eyes at all.’ ” Lambert said George “ ‘charged’ ” at him and they fought and struggled. Lambert stabbed George in the throat, nearly severing his tongue. Lambert stabbed George in the chest 27 times.

¶10 Lambert grabbed Gage as she entered the house from the garage. Lambert took her cell phone, pushed her into the living room, hit her on the head, and bound her wrists and ankles with packing tape. Lambert demanded Gage tell him “where the guns were.” Gage knew George kept a gun under his bed but did not tell Lambert about the gun or that she and George had switched bedrooms. Lambert “started going through the house and yelling and tearing things . . . out of closets.” Gage said when Lambert “couldn’t find the weapons,” she recalled seeing “two guns that were ... in the garage [,] ... an air gun and a BB gun.” Gage told Lambert she “remembered ... [t]here were rifles in the garage.” Lambert demanded Gage give him the keys to her car. After finding “ ‘the pellet rifle’ ” and ammunition in the garage, Lambert left.

¶11 Lambert drove to his mother’s house on Hastie Lake Road because he “knew there were guns there.” Susan Lambert’s 80-year-old father August Eisner lived in an apartment above the garage. Lambert searched the house for firearms. While he was in the bedroom, Lambert saw his grandfather outside in the driveway. Lambert left the house and confronted Eisner in the driveway. Lambert told Eisner he “ ‘needed the key’ ” to the garage because “ ‘the garage was locked’ ” and there were “ ‘guns and the cases in the garage.’ ” Eisner refused to give him the keys to the garage. According to Lambert, Eisner “ ‘said, “No. You’re not allowed *58 in the garage.” ’ ” Lambert “ ‘put the knife in his face’ ” and Eisner lunged at him. Lambert stabbed Eisner in the neck, severing his carotid artery.

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Bluebook (online)
395 P.3d 1080, 199 Wash. App. 51, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-washington-v-joshua-lambert-washctapp-2017.