State Of Washington v. Song Wang

424 P.3d 1251
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedAugust 27, 2018
Docket76369-5
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 424 P.3d 1251 (State Of Washington v. Song Wang) 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. Song Wang, 424 P.3d 1251 (Wash. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

Fir ED COER,T OF APPEALS OW I STATE OF WASHINGTON

2018 AUG 27 A1110: 47

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION ONE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) No. 76369-5-1 ) Respondent, ) ) v. ) ) PUBLISHED OPINION SONG WANG, ) Appellant. ) FILED: August 27, 2018 )

VERELLEN, J. — Song Wang appeals his conviction of first degree felony murder for the death of Kittaporn Saosawatsri. Wang argues the State presented

insufficient evidence that he caused the death of Saosawatsri in the course of or in

furtherance of the crime of second degree robbery. The State presented evidence

that Wang was in financial despair, he was targeting prostitutes, and he used force

in stabbing Saosawatsri. When viewed in a light most favorable to the State and

considered together with the State's evidence that Wang took Saosawatsri's

property and attempted to sell an expensive handbag the day after the murder, a

rational jury could find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of causing

Saosawatsri's death in the course of or in furtherance of a robbery.

Wang challenges jury instruction 17, defining second degree robbery. We

agree with the State's concession that jury instruction 17 is potentially confusing

without a definition or clarification of "same transaction." But Wang fails to show a No. 76369-5-1/2

manifest constitutional error relieving the State of its burden of proof when the

evidence supports a reasonable inference that Wang had the intent to take

property at the time he began to use force.

Wang also challenges the court's exclusion of evidence that the police

failed to investigate other potential suspects. But Wang failed to make a sufficient

offer of proof to obtain appellate review of this issue.

During trial, the lead detective testified, "I believe that Mr. Wang was

responsible for the murder of Ms. Saosawatsri."1 Because the testimony was

offered in the context of the detective explaining the course of the investigation,

the detective did not give an improper opinion as to Wang's guilt.

During closing argument the prosecutor argued, "I urge you to use your

common sense. Look at the evidence. Weigh the testimony and render your

decision. I'm confident you will do the right thing."2 Wang did not object. Because

the comment was limited to a single instance and was tempered by the

immediately preceding statement instructing the jury to look at the evidence and

weigh the testimony, Wang fails to show the prosecutor's comment was so flagrant

and ill intentioned that a curative instruction could not have cured any prejudice.

Wang fails to establish he is entitled to a new trial based on cumulative

error.

Therefore, we affirm.

1 Report of Proceedings(RP)(Dec. 8,2016) at 1211. 2 RP (Dec. 14, 2016) at 1732-33.

2 No. 76369-5-1/3

FACTS

Around 9:00 p.m. on March 31, 2015, when responding to a fire alarm,

Bellevue firefighters found the body of Saosawatsri in her apartment. They also

found a pile of smoldering clothes in Saosawatsri's closet. Saosawatsri was found

kneeling over her bed with multiple superficial stab wounds on her front and back,

along with defensive wounds on her arms. The medical examiner determined

Saosawatsri died from two stab wounds to her chest. The police found jewelry,

shoes, and handbags strewn around the kitchen and outside the closet.

Video surveillance in Saosawatsri's building showed a white Cadillac

Escalade entering the building garage at 7:35 p.m. on March 31, 2015. The video

showed a male, later identified as Wang, walking up the garage ramp. At the

same time, Saosawatsri buzzed someone into the building. Video surveillance

showed Wang entering the building and getting off the elevator on Saosawatsri's

floor. Shortly before 9:00 p.m., video surveillance showed Wang exiting the

garage with a large bag.

During the investigation, the police learned Saosawatsri was engaged in

prostitution. Police connected Wang to a phone used to contact Saosawatsri the

day of the murder.

The State charged Wang with first degree premeditated murder, first degree

felony murder, and first degree arson.

Following the trial, the jury convicted Wang of first degree felony murder,

first degree arson, and the lesser included offense of second degree intentional

3 No. 76369-5-1/4

murder under the first degree premeditated murder charge. During sentencing,

the court vacated the second degree murder conviction to avoid double jeopardy.

Wang appeals.

ANALYSIS

I. Sufficiency of the Evidence

Wang contends there was insufficient evidence he caused Saosawatsri's

death in the course of or in furtherance of a robbery to sustain a conviction for first

degree felony murder.

"'The sufficiency of the evidence is a question of constitutional law that we

review de novo."3 To determine whether there is sufficient evidence to sustain a

conviction, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the State and ask

whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the

crime beyond a reasonable doubt.4 "A claim of insufficiency admits the truth of

the State's evidence and all inferences that reasonably can be drawn therefrom.'"5

A person is guilty of murder in the first degree when:

He or she commits or attempts to commit the crime of either (1) robbery in the first or second degree,(2) rape in the first or second degree,(3) burglary in the first degree,(4) arson in the first or second degree, or (5) kidnapping in the first or second degree, and in the course of or in furtherance of such crime or in immediate

3 State v. Hummel, 196 Wn. App. 329, 352, 383 P.3d 592(2016)(quoting State v. Rich, 184 Wn.2d 897, 903, 365 P.3d 746 (2016)). 4 State v. Elmi, 166 Wn.2d 209, 214, 207 P.3d 439 (2009). 5 State v. Salinas, 119 Wn.2d 192, 201, 829 P.2d 1068(1992)(quoting State v. Theroff, 25 Wn. App. 590, 593,608 P.2d 1254 (1980)).

4 No. 76369-5-1/5

flight therefrom, he or she, or another participant, causes the death of a person other than one of the participants.[8]

Here, the State alleges Wang caused Saosawatsri's death in the course of

or in furtherance of second degree robbery.

A person commits robbery when:

[H]e or she unlawfully takes personal property from the person of another or in his or her presence against his or her will by the use or threatened use of immediate force, violence, or fear of injury to that person or his or her property or the person or property of anyone. Such force or fear must be used to obtain or retain possession of the property, or to prevent or overcome resistance to the taking; in either of which cases the degree of force is immaterial. Such taking constitutes robbery whenever it appears that, although the taking was fully completed without the knowledge of the person from whom taken, such knowledge was prevented by the use of force or fear.m

"Intent to deprive the victim of the property is a necessary element of the offense

of robbery."8

"To establish that a killing occurred in the course of, in furtherance of, or in

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