State Of Washington v. Meko D. Jones

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMarch 10, 2015
Docket45143-3
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Meko D. Jones (State Of Washington v. Meko D. Jones) 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. Meko D. Jones, (Wash. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

FLED COURT OF APPEALS D( b' ON I IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON 2015 MAR 10 AM ` 38 DIVISION II STATE OF • itj l#

STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 451' DEPU

Respondent, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

v.

MEKO DEAUNTE JONES,

Appellant.

BJORGEN, A.C. J. — A jury found Meko Jones guilty of, among other offenses, two counts

of second degree assault, one count of first degree kidnapping, and one count of first degree

robbery. Jones appeals, contending that ( 1) his sentences for the assault convictions were unlawful

because the combined term of confinement and community custody for each conviction exceeded

the maximum allowed by statute, ( 2) his assault and robbery convictions merge, as do his

kidnapping and robbery convictions, and ( 3) his counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing

to argue at sentencing that Jones' s assault, kidnapping, and robbery offenses encompassed the

same criminal conduct. In a pro se statement of additional grounds- (SAG), Jones also alleges

prosecutorial misconduct.

We hold that ( 1) the sentencing court erred in imposing a combined term of confinement

and community custody that exceeded the maximum allowed for each of the second degree assault

convictions, requiring a remand to correct the unlawful sentence, ( 2) none of Jones' s convictions

merge because of the way the State charged and proved each offense, and ( 3) Jones did not receive

ineffective assistance of counsel because his assault, robbery, and kidnapping offenses did not

encompass the same criminal conduct. We decline to address Jones' s prosecutorial misconduct

claim because he invited any error. No. 45143 -3 -II

We affirm Jones' s convictions, but remand to the sentencing court to correct his sentence

for each of the second degree assault convictions so that the combined term of confinement and

community custody for each conviction does not exceed the statutory maximum.

FACTS

Kayleigh Littlefield is the mother of Jones' s son. Because of Jones' s behavioral

problems, she cut off his contact with their son around Christmas of 2012.

In early January 2013, Jones arrived at Littlefield' s school and waited for her, carrying a

pistol that he believed would enhance his persuasiveness in demanding to see his son. When

Littlefield arrived, Jones accosted her, aimed his pistol at her, told her that she could not take his

son from him, and demanded that Littlefield go on a walk with him. Littlefield assented, but

when Jones demanded the keys to her car, Littlefield refused. Though the parties disagree on

what exactly happened next, they do agree that the firearm discharged and the bullet struck

Littlefield in the abdomen. 1 Littlefield then gave Jones the keys.

Jones demanded that Littlefield get into her car, and she complied out of fear that Jones

would shoot her again. As Jones drove them toward his mother' s house, he repeatedly struck the

butt of his loaded pistol on Littlefield' s dashboard. Again, Jones and Littlefield dispute exactly

what happened, but they agree that at some point in the car ride the firearm discharged again and

the bullet narrowly missed Littlefield as it flew past her, shattering the passenger side window.2

1 Jones testified that the gun went off when Littlefield attempted to grab it. Littlefield testified that she could not remember exactly what happened, but that she had told the officer immediately after the incident that Jones had intentionally shot her.

2 Jones contended that the gun again discharged accidentally when he struck it on the dashboard of Littlefield' s car. Littlefield testified that she could not remember exactly what happened, but that the gun was close by her face when fired and that she had told the investigating officer soon after the shooting that it was intentional.

2 No. 45143 -3 - II

Once at Jones' s mother' s house, Jones continued to harangue Littlefield about their son

while they sat outside in Littlefield' s car. Jones eventually asked Littlefield how much money

she had. She replied that she had $ 300 in her bank account. Jones then told Littlefield that he

wanted money to get a shotgun to " shoot [ her] mom." V Verbatim Report of Proceedings ( VRP)

at 43.

Jones then drove Littlefield to .a nearby convenience store where he demanded

Littlefield' s automated teller machine ( ATM) card and her personal identification number (PIN).

Since Jones was still armed with the pistol, Littlefield felt that she had no choice but to comply.

Jones went inside the store and withdrew $200 dollars from Littlefield' s account, watching

Littlefield, who remained in the car, through the store' s window to make sure she did not attempt

to escape.

Jones let Littlefield go after several more hours. She then drove herself to a hospital,

received treatment for the gunshot wound, and survived.

Among other crimes, the State charged Jones with one count of first degree assault for the

shooting of Littlefield outside her school, one count of first degree assault for the shot fired in

Littlefield' s car, one count of first degree robbery for taking Littlefield' s ATM card and PIN, and

one count of first degree kidnapping. The State alleged that each of these offenses was a

domestic violence offense and that Jones was armed with a firearm during the commission of

each.

After a trial, the jury found Jones guilty of, among other crimes, first degree kidnapping,

first degree robbery, and two counts of the lesser included offense of second degree assault. The

jury also found that ( 1) the assault, kidnapping, and robbery offenses were domestic violence

3 No: 45143 -3 -II

offenses because Jones and Littlefield were members of the same household and ( 2) Jones was

armed with a firearm during the commission of the assaults, robbery, and kidnapping.

The sentencing court imposed a high -end standard range sentence for each of Jones' s

convictions, running each sentence concurrently with the sentences for Jones' s other convictions

and consecutively to each of the firearm enhancements, which ran consecutively to each other.

For the two second degree assault convictions, this amounted to a sentence of 84 months of

confinement for each underlying charge and 36 months of confinement for each firearm

enhancement, for a total of 120 months for each conviction. The sentencing court also imposed

an 18 -month term of community custody for each of the second degree assault convictions.

Jones now appeals.

ANALYSIS

I. SENTENCING

Jones first contends that the trial court imposed a sentence in excess of its statutory

authority for each of his second degree assault convictions. Specifically, Jones argues that the

term of confinement and community custody imposed for each conviction exceeds the statutory

maximum for each offense. The State concedes error. We accept the concession and remand for

correction of his sentence.

Thomas' s second degree assault convictions are class B felonies. RCW 9A.36. 021( 2)( a).

The maximum allowed term for a class B felony is 120 months. RCW 9A.20. 021( 1)( b). A

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