JOSEPH JERALD DIAZ, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1992-06-30
No. 91-2189
Before BASKIN, COPE and GERSTEN, JJ.
601 So. 2d 1269 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1992) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

Joseph Diaz appeals his convictions for attempted first degree felony murder, false imprisonment, and robbery with a weapon. The Florida District Court of Appeal affirms, finding sufficient evidence of attempted first degree felony murder and rejecting Diaz's argument that the trial court committed fundamental error by failing to instruct the jury on additional lesser included offenses.


Holding

The court affirmed all convictions, holding that: (1) the trial court's denial of continuance was within its discretion; (2) sufficient evidence supported the attempted first degree felony murder conviction given the severity of the attack; and (3) the defense was bound by its tactical choice to request only specific lesser included offenses and did not preserve error by failing to request other instructions.


Headnotes

[1] A trial court's ruling on a motion for a continuance is reviewed for an abuse of discretion.

[2] Attempted first degree felony murder occurs when an individual perpetrates or attempts to perpetrate an enumerated felony, and during the commission of the felony commits…

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Key Quotes

“the offense of attempted first degree felony murder occurs "whenever an individual perpetrates or attempts to perpetrate an enumerated felony, and during the commission of the felony the individual commits, aids, or abets a specific overt act which could, but does not, cause the death of another."”

Establishes the legal definition and elements of attempted first degree felony murder that the trial court properly applied

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Facts & Procedural History

Diaz was convicted of attempted first degree felony murder, false imprisonment, and robbery with a weapon. The victim was a 76-year-old woman who suff…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

Joseph Diaz appeals his convictions for attempted first degree felony murder, false imprisonment, and robbery with a weapon. We affirm.

First, we conclude that the trial court’s ruling on the defense motion for a continuance was well within the bounds of sound discretion.

Second, the offense of attempted first degree felony murder occurs “whenever an individual perpetrates or attempts to perpetrate an enumerated felony, and during the commission of the felony the individual commits, aids, or abets a specific overt act which could, but does not, cause the death of another....” Amlotte v. State, 456 So. 2d 448, 449-50 (Fla.1984). We conclude that there was sufficient evidence to present a jury question whether the acts committed against the victim could cause death. Given the successive blows to the 76 year old victim’s head, the binding of the victim, the taping of the elderly victim’s mouth, and the statement by one perpetrator to the other (after checking the victim’s pulse) that they had, in fact, killed her, a jury question was presented. See State v. Prehn, 566 So. 2d 1362, 1363 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990). Contrary to Diaz’ contention, medical testimony was not required.

Third, at trial the defense requested that the judge give jury instructions on aggravated battery and battery as lesser included offenses of attempted first degree felony murder. The jury was instructed as requested. There was no objection by the defense to the jury instructions.

On appeal the defense contends that the trial court was obliged to instruct the jury on the lesser included offense one step removed from attempted first degree felony murder, and that the failure to do so constitutes fundamental error which may be raised for the first time on appeal. We disagree. In the context of jury instructions, the general rule is that “a client is bound by the acts of his attorney performed within the scope of the latter’s authority.” Jones v. State, 484 So. 2d 577, 579 (Fla.1986) (citation omitted); see generally Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.390(d). For what appear to have been perfectly sound tactical reasons, the defense requested the specific lesser included offenses it desired. There was neither a request for, nor objection to the omission of, any other attempted homicide instructions.*

The defense relies on Hayes v. State, 564 So. 2d at 163, to support the assertion that there was fundamental error in the present case. Hayes cannot be read so broadly. Hayes followed Rojas v. State, 552 So. 2d 914 (Fla.1989), in finding fundamental error in a situation in which there was an incomplete manslaughter instruction given. The Hayes court concluded that under Rojas, it was obliged to reverse. Hayes is not applicable here.

Affirmed.

*

The defense contends that the lesser included offense one step removed from attempted first degree felony murder was attempted manslaughter. It appears, however, that the lesser included offense one step removed was actually attempted second degree murder. See Hayes v. State, 564 So. 2d 161, 163 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990).


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Citator

Cited By

  • Jones v. State, 718 So. 2d 1286 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998)
    …that defense counsel abandoned his request for this instruction and agreed to the proposed instructions which included as lesser offenses, attempt, battery and assault. Thus, this issue has not been preserved for appellate review. See Diaz v. State, 601 So. 2d 1269 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992). Second, Jones also contends that he does not qualify as a sexual predator under the law that was in effect at the time he committed the offenses. However, this matter is not ripe for review because the trial court reserved juris…

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