State v. Laguna - In the Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico

State v. Laguna

By In the Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico

  • Release Date: 1999-10-04
  • Genre: Law

Description

Certiorari denied, No. 26,017, November 29, 1999 APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF DOA ANA COUNTY Thomas G. Cornish, District Judge OPINION {1} Defendant appeals his convictions of first degree kidnapping, two counts of attempted criminal sexual contact of a minor (CSCM), and enticement of a child. He argues that (1) the evidence is insufficient to support first degree kidnapping; (2) the kidnapping statute, NMSA 1978, Section 30-4-1 (1995), is unconstitutionally vague; and (3) the prohibition against double jeopardy was violated. We conclude that sufficient evidence supports the first degree kidnapping conviction and that the kidnapping statute passes constitutional muster. We also hold that double jeopardy has been violated and remand to vacate the enticement conviction and one of the attempted CSCM convictions. FACTS {2} The victim, Robert H., two months away from fifteen years old, decided to walk to his girlfriend's house on a hot, Las Cruces, July afternoon. Getting there would take about an hour. A car passed by. The driver, Defendant, waved, and Robert waved back. Defendant pulled off the street and motioned for Robert to come over. Robert went to the vehicle and Defendant asked Robert if he had a sister. Robert replied that he did. Defendant asked her name, which Robert supplied. Defendant indicated that he knew her. During cross-examination, Robert testified that he did not know if it was true that Defendant knew his sister and that his sister knew a lot of people. After the small talk about Robert's sister, Defendant asked Robert if he needed a ride. Robert accepted, got in the car and gave Defendant directions. Robert testified that he got in the vehicle because he wanted a ride, not because Defendant knew his sister. However, on redirect, Robert testified that he felt more comfortable getting in the vehicle because Defendant said he knew his sister. Nevertheless, because it was hot, he would have taken a ride from anyone that day.

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