State v. SORRELHORSE

2011 NMCA 095, 263 P.3d 313, 150 N.M. 536
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 5, 2011
Docket29,894; 33,142
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 2011 NMCA 095 (State v. SORRELHORSE) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. SORRELHORSE, 2011 NMCA 095, 263 P.3d 313, 150 N.M. 536 (N.M. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION

WECHSLER, Judge.

{1} Our opinion filed March 22, 2011, is hereby withdrawn, and this opinion is filed in its stead. We deny the State’s motion for rehearing.

{2} Defendant Randy Sorrelhorse appeals his convictions for breaking and entering and criminal damage to property. Defendant argues that (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for breaking and entering, and (2) his conviction for criminal damage to property violates his right to be free from double jeopardy. For the reasons that follow, we affirm Defendant’s conviction for breaking and entering, and we vacate his conviction for criminal damage to property.

BACKGROUND

{3} At trial, Jimmy Arrellano testified that he and his friend Christine Southworth were at his apartment when Defendant knocked on the door and asked for cigarettes. Arrellano told Defendant to leave and closed the door. Defendant returned several minutes later, and when Arrellano opened the door, Defendant told Arrellano that he would cut him with a knife. Arrellano then tried to close the door, and Defendant began kicking and banging on it, while Arrellano and South-worth both tried to hold the door closed.

{4} Arrellano testified that during this struggle, Defendant was able to get into his apartment a little way. He testified that Defendant was able to push him back into the apartment about a foot. Southworth testified that, while Arrellano was trying to keep Defendant out, she called 911, and Defendant began to walk away. The 911 operator asked which direction Defendant was headed, and when Arrellano opened the door to see, Defendant returned and began kicking the door again. Southworth also testified that during Defendant’s struggle with Arrellano over the door, Defendant was able to get his foot into the apartment and that he was stepping into the apartment. Based on these events, Defendant was convicted of breaking and entering, contrary to NMSA 1978, Section 30-14-8(A) (1981), and criminal damage to property, contrary to NMSA 1978, Section 30-15-1 (1963). Defendant timely appeals.

SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE

{5} Defendant first argues that his conviction for breaking and entering was not supported by sufficient evidence. “In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the guilty verdict, indulging all reasonable inferences and resolving all conflicts in the evidence in favor of the verdict.” State v. Cunningham, 2000-NMSC-009, ¶ 26, 128 N.M. 711, 998 P.2d 176. “The reviewing court does not weigh the evidence or substitute its judgment for that of the fact finder as long as there is sufficient evidence to support the verdict.” State v. Mora, 1997-NMSC-060, ¶27, 124 N.M. 346, 950 P.2d 789, abrogated on other grounds as recognized by Kersey v. Hatch, 2010-NMSC-020,148 N.M. 381, 237 P.3d 683.

{6} In order to convict Defendant of breaking and entering, the State was required to present evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that (1) Defendant entered a dwelling house without permission, and (2) entry was obtained by breaking a door. See UJI 14-1410 NMRA; see also § 30-14-8(A). Defendant argues that the evidence was insufficient to establish that he entered the apartment. Defendant argues that, since Arrellano and Southworth testified that Arrellano was able to prevent Defendant from coming into the apartment, the essential element of entry cannot be established.

{7} Our case law interpreting the term “entry” in the criminal code requires only the slightest penetration of an interior space. See State v. Reynolds, 111 N.M. 263, 270, 804 P.2d 1082, 1089 (Ct.App.1990) (noting that any penetration of the interior space, however slight, is sufficient to constitute “entry” within the meaning of the burglary statute); State v. Tixier, 89 N.M. 297, 298-99, 551 P.2d 987, 988-89 (Ct.App.1976) (holding that evidence that an unidentified instrument penetrated one-half inch inside a building is enough to effectuate an entry under the burglary statute); see also State v. Muqqddin, 2010-NMCA-069, ¶¶ 11-13, 148 N.M. 845, 242 P.3d 412 (holding that the defendant’s act of penetrating the gas tank of a van with a nail constituted an entry for purposes of the burglary statute).

{8} In this case, there was evidence that Defendant’s foot entered the apartment. Additionally, the jury could reasonably infer that Defendant entered the apartment based on the testimony that he pushed the people who were inside the apartment back further into the apartment. We also reject Defendant’s assertion that Arrellano’s testimony that he was able to stop Defendant from coming into the apartment necessarily means that no part of Defendant’s body ever penetrated the interior space of the apartment. Defendant’s conviction for breaking and entering was supported by sufficient evidence.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

{9} We now address Defendant’s argument that he was improperly convicted for both breaking and entering and criminal damage to property in violation of his right to be free from double jeopardy. Defendant raises a “double-description” double jeopardy claim. See State v. Dombos, 2008-NMCA-035, ¶ 10, 143 N.M. 668, 180 P.3d 675 (stating that double-description cases are those in which a single act results in multiple charges under different criminal statutes). We review double jeopardy claims de novo. See State v. Bernal, 2006-NMSC-050, ¶ 6, 140 N.M. 644, 146 P.3d 289.

{10} In addressing double-description claims, we employ the two-part test set forth by our Supreme Court in Swafford v. State, 112 N.M. 3, 13-15, 810 P.2d 1223, 1233-35 (1991). See State v. Vallejos, 2000-NMCA-075, ¶ 6, 129 N.M. 424, 9 P.3d 668. “First, we examine whether the conduct was unitary, meaning whether the same criminal conduct is the basis for both charges.” Bernal, 2006-NMSC-050, ¶ 9, 140 N.M. 644, 146 P.3d 289. In determining whether conduct was unitary, we “consider whether the defendant’s acts are separated by sufficient indicia of distinctness.” State v. Lopez, 2008-NMCA-111, ¶ 9, 144 N.M. 705, 191 P.3d 563 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). “[W]e consider such factors as whether the acts were close in time and space, their similarity, the sequence in which they oceurred, whether other events intervened, and a defendant’s goals for and mental state during each act.” State v. Ford, 2007-NMCA-052, ¶ 12, 141 N.M. 512, 157 P.3d 77.

{11} Applying these factors to the facts of this case, we conclude that Defendant’s conduct was unitary. There was little separation in time and no separation in space between Defendant’s initial act of trying to force open the door and his returning moments later to beat on the door again. Nor was there any significant change in the nature or objective of Defendant’s conduct. The conduct underlying both convictions was the same, and Defendant’s intent was to open the door to the apartment by physical force. See State v. Demongey, 2008-NMCA-066, ¶ 15, 144 N.M.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2011 NMCA 095, 263 P.3d 313, 150 N.M. 536, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-sorrelhorse-nmctapp-2011.