State v. Pang

940 P.2d 1293, 132 Wash. 2d 852, 1997 Wash. LEXIS 558
Washington Supreme Court·Decided July 31, 1997·No. No. 64786-1·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinions

Smith, J.

Petitioner Martin Shaw Pang seeks review of a King County Superior Court decision which denied his motion to dismiss or sever four counts of murder in [855] the first degree from one count of arson in the first degree based upon his claim that the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil approved his extradition from that country for prosecution in the State of Washington only for the crime of arson in the first degree. We reverse.

QUESTION PRESENTED

The basic question in this case is whether the State of Washington may prosecute Petitioner Martin Shaw Pang for four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of arson in the first degree when the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil, ruling on the State’s petition for extradition, granted his extradition for prosecution in the State of Washington "for the crime of arson in the first degree, resulting in four deaths .... without the additional charge of four counts of first degree murder.” To answer the basic question, we must answer these additional questions:

(1) Does Petitioner Pang have standing to object to violation by the State of Washington of the terms of the order on extradition issued by the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil?

(2) Did the United States of Brazil explicitly or implicitly waive any objection it could have made to prosecution by the State of Washington of Petitioner Pang for murder in the first degree contrary to the specific terms of the extradition order issued by the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil?

(3) Does the "specialty doctrine” in international extradition law prohibit the State of Washington from prosecuting Petitioner Pang for crimes specifically excluded in the extradition order?

(4) Does the Extradition Treaty between the United States of America and the United States of Brazil prohibit the State of Washington from prosecuting Petitioner Pang for crimes not authorized in the extradition order?

(5) Is the State of Washington obligated to follow the de-[856] cisión of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil which ruled that, as a condition for extraditing Petitioner Pang to the State, he can be prosecuted only "for the crime of arson in the first degree resulting in four deaths .... without the additional charge of four counts of first degree murder”?

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On January 5, 1995, four firefighters died while fighting a fire at the Mary Pang Products, Inc. warehouse at 811 Seventh Avenue South in Seattle, Washington.1 Fire investigators later determined the fire had been deliberately set. Martin Shaw Pang became a suspect. A fugitive warrant was issued for his arrest.2 On March 3, 1995 the King County Prosecuting Attorney by Information charged Petitioner Pang with four counts of murder in the first degree as follows:

COUNT I

I, Norm Maleng, Prosecuting Attorney for King County in the name and by the authority of the State of Washington, do accuse MARTIN S. PANG of the crime of Murder in the First Degree, committed as follows:
That the defendant MARTIN S. PANG, together with another, in King County, Washington on or about January 5, 1995, while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Arson in the First Degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of said crime and in immediate flight therefrom, did cause the death of Lieutenant Walter Kilgore, a human being who was not a participant in the crime, and who died on or about January 5, 1995;
Contrary to RCW 9A.32.030(1)(C), and against the peace and dignity of the State of Washington.

[857] COUNT II

And I, Norm Maleng, Prosecuting Attorney aforesaid further do accuse MARTIN S. PANG of the crime of Murder in the First Degree, a crime of the same or similar character as another crime charged herein, and committed as follows:
That the defendant MARTIN S. PANG, together with another, in King County, Washington on or about January 5, 1995, while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Arson in the First Degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of said crime and in immediate flight therefrom, did cause the death of Lieutenant Gregory A. Shoemaker, a human being who was not a participant in the crime, and who died on or about January 5, 1995;
Contrary to RCW 9A.32.030(1)(C), and against the peace and dignity of the State of Washington.

COUNT III

And I, Norm Maleng, Prosecuting Attorney aforesaid further do accuse MARTIN S. PANG of the crime of Murder in the First Degree, a crime of the same or similar character as another crime charged herein, and committed as follows:
That the defendant MARTIN S. PANG, together with another, in King County, Washington on or about January 5, 1995, while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Arson in the First Degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of said crime and in immediate flight therefrom, did cause the death of Firefighter James T. Brown, a human being who was not a participant in the crime, and who died on or about January 5, 1995;
Contrary to RCW 9A.32.030(1)(C), and against the peace and dignity of the State of Washington.

COUNT IV

And I, Norm Maleng, Prosecuting Attorney aforesaid further do accuse MARTIN S. PANG of the crime of Murder in the First Degree, a crime of the same or similar character as another crime charged herein, and committed as follows:
That the defendant MARTIN S. PANG, together with an[858] other, in King County, Washington on or about January 5, 1995, while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Arson in the First Degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of said crime and in immediate flight therefrom, did cause the death of Firefighter Randall R. Terlicker, a human being who was not a participant in the crime, and who died on or about January 5, 1995;
Contrary to RCW 9A.32.030(1)(C), and against the peace and dignity of the State of Washington.
NORM MALENG
Prosecuting Attorney
By: [s] Marilyn B. Brenneman_
MARILYN B. BRENNEMAN, WSBA #91002 [sic]
Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
By: [s] Timothy A. Bradshaw_
Timothy Bradshaw, WSBA # 91002 [sic]

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State v. Pang, 940 P.2d 1293, 132 Wash. 2d 852, 1997 Wash. LEXIS 558 (Wash. 1997).

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