State v. Kelley

450 N.W.2d 729, 1990 N.D. LEXIS 20, 1990 WL 2983
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 18, 1990
DocketCrim. 890153
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 450 N.W.2d 729 (State v. Kelley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Kelley, 450 N.W.2d 729, 1990 N.D. LEXIS 20, 1990 WL 2983 (N.D. 1990).

Opinions

ERICKSTAD, Chief Justice.

James Clark Kelley, Jr., appeals from a judgment of conviction entered upon a jury verdict finding him guilty of the crime of murder, a Class AA felony, in violation of section 12.1-16-01, N.D.C.C. We affirm.

This case arose from the death of Walter Chasing Hawk, who died on July 27, 1988, after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. A trial was held commencing on April 25, 1989. At trial in Morton County, the State, although it called a number of witnesses, relied primarily on the testimony of Nicki Stoner.

The undisputed facts relative to this appeal are as follows: On July 27, 1988, Kelley and Stoner were traveling west through the state of North Dakota on Interstate 94. At a rest stop somewhere in the Jamestown area, they picked up a hitchhiker, Walter Chasing Hawk. Stoner drove the vehicle and the first stop was made at Chasing Hawk’s place of employment in Mandan, allowing him to pick up a paycheck. After that, they stopped at a bank, a liquor store, and a gas station before heading south for McLaughlin, South Dakota. Chasing Hawk had offered the couple $50 to take him there. Along the way, the three individuals stopped to eat at the Junction Inn on Highway No. 6, south of Mandan, before again proceeding south on Highway No. 6 toward South Dakota.

At this point, Kelley and Stoner gave disparate testimony. Stoner testified that at the time of the murder she was driving, that Kelley was seated in the front passenger seat, and that Chasing Hawk was seated in the rear seat directly behind her. Suddenly, Kelley began shooting Chasing Hawk with a handgun. Stoner was aware that there was a gun in the car, but thought that it was.in the trunk. Stoner did not know why Kelley shot Chasing Hawk. She stopped the car and, after being threatened by Kelley, she reluctantly helped remove Chasing Hawk’s body from the car to the roadside. Kelley then took Chasing Hawk’s money. The car stalled when Stoner tried to turn around and, after being threatened and struck by Kelley, she pushed the ear off to the side of the road and flagged down a passing motorist for assistance. After getting a start, she drove to Dickinson, North Dakota, and while enroute, she recalled Kelley telling her to shut up and drive. Upon Kelley’s orders, she obtained a motel room under a false name in Dickinson on the evening of July 27, 1989. That night she made a call to a detective in Nevada that she testified she hoped would be traced. The call was traced and on the following morning she and Kelley were arrested.

Kelley, on the other hand, testified that shortly after leaving the Junction Inn, Stoner asked him to drive, which he did. Kelley testified that Stoner was in the front passenger seat and that Chasing Hawk was in the backseat. Stoner and Chasing Hawk were drinking whiskey and talking. The next thing Kelley remembered was Stoner pointing a gun at Chasing Hawk and shooting him. Kelley was aware that a weapon was in the car, but thought that it was in the trunk. Kelley testified that they dragged Chasing Hawk’s body to the roadside and that Stoner took Chasing Hawk’s money. They proceeded to Dickinson that evening and were arrested the next morning.

During the trial, Kelley requested a jury instruction regarding corroboration of tes[731]*731timony of an accomplice.1 Section 29-21-14, N.D.C.C., requires corroboration of the testimony of an accomplice in order to support a conviction based upon that testimony.2

After hearing arguments of counsel, the trial court refused to give an instruction as to corroboration of accomplice testimony because in its view there was no evidence to indicate that Stoner had acted as an accomplice to effect the death of Chasing Hawk.

Kelley was convicted on April 28, 1989, and sentenced to life-imprisonment on May 17, 1989. On appeal, Kelley argues that the trial court committed reversible error by refusing to give a jury instruction concerning the corroboration of the testimony of an accomplice.

The first question which must be answered is whether or not the determination that a witness is an accomplice is a question of fact or law. The rule, as we have stated it in the past, is that if the facts as to the witness’ culpability are disputed or suscep-tibie of different inferences, then it is a question of fact for the jury. If, on the other hand, the facts as to the witness’ culpability are neither disputed nor susceptible of different inferences, then it is a question of law for the court. State v. Thorson, 264 N.W.2d 441, 442 (N.D.1978). In Thorson, we said:

“This court, in the past, has stated that whether or not a person is an accomplice is a question of fact. State v. Powell, 73 N.W.2d 777 (N.D. 1955); State v. Kellar, 8 N.D. 563, 80 N.W. 476 (1899). In both those cases, however, the facts were disputed and susceptible of different inferences. In State v. McCarty, 47 N.D. 523, 182 N.W. 754 (1921), this court stated that an instruction that a witness was an accomplice could only be given where there is no dispute in the evidence. Thus, our past statements on this question are consistent with the rule stated above which we now expressly adopt.”

Thorson at 442-43.

The dispute in the evidence which is referred, to must necessarily be construed to [732]*732be that of the evidence as to the witness’ complicity in the action for which the defendant is being charged. The evidence in the instant case is insufficient to show that Stoner was an accomplice to the murder of Chasing Hawk. We have previously discussed accomplice liability as it is defined in section 12.1-03-01, N.D.C.C.:3

“ ‘We have said that mere presence at the scene of a crime is not enough to make one an accomplice. However, presence at the scene of a crime is a fact which, together with other facts, may support a finding that the defendant acted as an accomplice. Zander [v. S.J.K., 256 N.W.2d 713, 715 (N.D.1977)].... Additional facts which would support a finding of accomplice liability include ... acting with the kind of culpability required for the offense and sharing the criminal intent of the principal; [or] approving the criminal act by active participation in it or by, in some manner, encouraging it; ... ’ ”

State v. Bonner, 361 N.W.2d 605, 612-13 (N.D.1985) (quoting State v. Pronovost, 345 N.W.2d 851, 853 (N.D. 1984)).

Had Kelley testified, in a case in which Stoner was charged with being an accomplice, that Stoner was his accomplice and that she encouraged him to kill Chasing Hawk and assisted him in doing so and then related all of the things that the parties did together both before and after the commission of the offense, an instruction that an accomplice’s testimony must be corroborated would have been appropriate.

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State v. Kelley
450 N.W.2d 729 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
450 N.W.2d 729, 1990 N.D. LEXIS 20, 1990 WL 2983, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-kelley-nd-1990.