State v. Van Dyke

621 P.2d 22, 127 Ariz. 335, 1980 Ariz. LEXIS 287
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 27, 1980
Docket4734
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 621 P.2d 22 (State v. Van Dyke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona 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. Van Dyke, 621 P.2d 22, 127 Ariz. 335, 1980 Ariz. LEXIS 287 (Ark. 1980).

Opinions

HAYS, Justice.

Appellant Joseph Edward Van Dyke, convicted of two counts of first degree murder and one count of armed burglary, was sentenced to concurrent terms of life imprisonment without possibility of parole for 25 years for each murder count and 5 to 15 years on the burglary count. Taking jurisdiction pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-4031 (Supp. 1979),1 we affirm.

Over a period of two and one-half years, appellant and Pearl Cumbie enjoyed an on-again, off-again relationship. Appellant on occasion lived with Pearl Cumbie during the last year of their affair but the relationship was a stormy one resulting in frequent fights. During those times appellant would either stay at a room he kept or with friends. On September 13, 1978, following one such incident, appellant was staying at a friend’s trailer. That evening, after consuming a considerable quantity of beer and taking a number of illicit pills purchased on the street, appellant went to the apartment he shared with Pearl and her 27-year-old son, Richard Waddell, carrying a loaded .30-.30 rifle.

In a statement made to police, appellant said he went to the apartment to scare Pearl into going out with him; however, the end result was that Pearl Cumbie and Richard Waddell were shot and killed by appellant.

I

Initially, appellant maintains that his armed burglary conviction must be reversed because, as a matter of law, one cannot commit burglary in one’s own place of residence. We disagree with appellant’s statement of the law.

While there is support for appellant’s contention in the common law, see LaFave & Scott, Handbook on Criminal Law 708 (1972), in this state the common law is only viable insofar as it is consistent with statutes enacted in its stead. A.R.S. § 1-201.2 Arizona’s statutory crime of burglary differs greatly from the one found in the common law. See A.R.S. §§ 13-301 and 13-302. The elements of common law burglary traditionally included breaking and entering the dwelling of another at night with the intent to commit a felony. La-Fave & Scott, supra. The Arizona statutory version of burglary merely requires entry into one of several designated buildings or enclosures with the intent to commit a felony and nothing more. A.R.S. §§ 13-301 and 13-302.

We have on many occasions said a breaking or otherwise unlawful entry are not elements of burglary, State v. Pittman, 118 Ariz. 71, 574 P.2d 1290 (1978); State v. Calvery, 117 Ariz. 154, 571 P.2d 300 (1977); State v. Madrid, 113 Ariz. 290, 552 P.2d 451 (1976); In re Appeal in Maricopa Juvenile Action No. J-75755, 111 Ariz. 103, 523 P.2d 1304 (1974); State v. Owen, 94 Ariz. 354, 385 P.2d 227 (1963); State v. Hogue, 15 Ariz.App. 434, 489 P.2d 281 (1971). These Arizona cases clearly establish that even where the physical entry is objectively legitimate, entry will be illegal if the defendant’s subjective intent is to commit a felony. Walking into an open telephone booth, [337]*337the office of an open service station, or an open convenience market may be objectively legitimate entries but if one makes such an entry with the intent to commit a felony, the crime of burglary is complete. State v. Owen, supra; State v. Hogue, supra; State v. Madrid, supra.

We think the jury was properly instructed on burglary and there is evidence to support the jury’s verdict.

II

Appellant next contends the failure to instruct the jury that a gun must be pointed in a threatening manner in order to constitute assault with a deadly weapon is reversible error. We disagree.

In order to establish its felony-murder theory by way of the armed burglary count, the state introduced evidence that the crime appellant intended to commit upon entry was, among others, assault with a deadly weapon. The instruction relating to assault with a deadly weapon included language that it is sufficient to merely point a deadly weapon at a victim to constitute the crime. Appellant’s position is that the weapon must be pointed in a threatening manner. Our search of the authorities, including those cited by appellant, do not support his contention.

We note at the outset that no objection was raised at trial with respect to this instruction. As we have said before, absent fundamental error, in order to preserve an objection to a proposed instruction on appeal, counsel must object at trial and state with particularity the grounds of the objection. 17 A.R.S. Rules of Criminal Procedure, rule 21.3(c); State v. Edgar, 126 Ariz. 206, 613 P.2d 1262 (1980); State v. Toney, 113 Ariz. 404,555 P.2d 650 (1976).

Moreover, Arizona authority is quite clear “[tjhere is no question but what the pointing of a loaded pistol at another ... is an assault with a deadly weapon.” State v. Gortarez, 103 Ariz. 395, 396, 442 P.2d 842, 843 (1968). There is no requirement that the weapon must be pointed in a threatening manner. State v. Bustamonte, 122 Ariz. 105, 593 P.2d 659 (1979); State v. Gordon, 120 Ariz. 172, 584 P.2d 1163 (1978); State v. Duncan, 105 Ariz. 426, 466 P.2d 380 (1970).

In the case at bar the relevant inquiry is not what appellant in fact did with the rifle but what he intended to do. By his own admission appellant went to the apartment to scare Pearl into going out with him. The fact he intended to do so with a loaded rifle supports the armed burglary conviction.

Ill

Appellant next alleges the jury should not have been instructed concerning a stipulation that the death penalty would not be sought regardless of the verdict.

Before trial the parties stipulated that no matter what the outcome of the case, the death penalty would not be sought. It was also “STIPULATED AND AGREED by and between the parties herein that at the time of trial, the jury shall be instructed that irrespective of the verdict, the Defendant will not be subject to the death penalty”

During jury selection the panel was informed that if defendant was convicted of a crime carrying the possibility of a death sentence, none would be sought. There was no defense objection.

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State v. Van Dyke
621 P.2d 22 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1980)

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Bluebook (online)
621 P.2d 22, 127 Ariz. 335, 1980 Ariz. LEXIS 287, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-van-dyke-ariz-1980.