FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
GEOFFREY A. RIVERS JEFFREY A. MODISETT
Muncie, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana
PRESTON W. BLACK
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
EDDIE GRIFFIN, )
)
Appellant-Defendant, )
)
vs. ) No. 18A02-9609-CR-602
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee-Plaintiff. )
OPINION ON REHEARING - FOR PUBLICATION
seeks to foreclose consideration. If the jury could have based its decision on
another factor, then collateral estoppel does not bar relitigation."
Id. (citations and internal quotation marks omitted).
Griffin contends that his acquittal of felony murder necessarily includes a
determination that he "did not kill David Turner during the course of a robbery resulting in
serious bodily injury to Mr. Turner, nor did he aid, induce or cause another person to do so."
Appellant's Brief at 15. Griffin further contends that the State is "estopped from attempting
to prove Eddie Griffin was involved in Mr. Turner's death or that he was involved in a
robbery resulting in serious bodily injury." Appellant's Brief at 16. The State, on the other
hand, contends that the first jury's acquittal of Griffin of felony murder means only that the
jury failed to find that Turner died during the commission of the robbery. According to the
State, the acquittal does not mean that Griffin did not participate in the robbery or
conspiracy. We agree with the State.
The felony murder charge of which Griffin was acquitted alleged that he "did kill
another human being, to wit: David S. Turner; while committing the crime of Robbery, by
taking from the presence of David S. Turner approximately ten (10) pounds of marijuana."
Record at 165. The Record from the first trial reflects that Griffin and his co-conspirators
agreed that they would render Turner unconscious and then take his marijuana; his death was
not a part of the conspiracy. When Turner arrived at the 13th Street house, Griffin and his
co-conspirators struck Turner in the head, took his marijuana, struck him again, placed a
plastic bag over his head, pushed the air out of the bag, and taped it around his neck. The
coroner ruled that the cause of Turner's death was "undetermined homicidal violence," and
was unable to provide any specific details due to the condition of Turner's body. Record at
2110.
The question, then, is whether a reasonable jury could have based its acquittal of
Griffin of the felony murder upon any factor other than Griffin's participation in the robbery
and conspiracy. We think it could. Because the cause of Turner's death was not known, it
was reasonable for the jury to have concluded that the killing occurred after the robbery had
been completed. Therefore, the felony murder acquittal could reasonably have been based
upon Griffin's non-participation in the killing. A determination of Griffin's non-participation
in the killing, however, does not preclude relitigation of his participation in the robbery or
the conspiracy, issues the jury was unable to decide in the first trial. Griffin's retrial was not
barred by principles of collateral estoppel.
We grant rehearing and affirm the trial court on the collateral estoppel claim. Griffin's
petition for rehearing is in all other respects denied.
FRIEDLANDER, J., concurs.
SULLIVAN, J., concurs in part and dissents in part with separate opinion.
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
EDDIE GRIFFIN, )
)
Appellant-Defendant, )
)
vs. ) No. 18A02-9609-CR-602
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee. )
SULLIVAN, Judge, concurring in part and dissenting in part
Although I concur in the majority's discussion and holding with regard to the
collateral estoppel issue, I dissent from the denial of rehearing upon the double jeopardy
issue.
For the reasons stated in my earlier dissenting opinion upon the merits, I would grant
rehearing for the purpose of vacating the conviction for robbery.
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