State v. Chyung

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The State charged Defendant with murder and manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm. The jury rendered verdicts of guilty on both charges. Defendant filed a motion for judgment of acquittal and for a new trial, arguing that the verdicts were legally inconsistent. The trial court denied the motion, concluding (1) Defendant had waived the claim by failing to request a jury instruction that he could not be convicted of both charges; but (2) the verdict of guilty on the manslaughter charge must be vacated pursuant to case law because when a defendant is convicted of both a greater offense and a lesser included offense, the property remedy is to vacate the conviction on the lesser included offense. The Supreme Court vacated both guilty verdicts, holding (1) legally inconsistent verdicts involve jury error that may be raised for the first time after the verdicts have been returned or on appeal, and therefore, the trial court erred in determining that Defendant had waived his claims that the guilty verdicts were legally inconsistent; and (2) the verdicts were legally inconsistent, and neither verdict can stand. Remanded for a new trial. View "State v. Chyung" on Justia Law