Opinion

McCullough v. State

  • 230 So. 3d 586
Court
District Court of Appeal of Florida
Filed
Nov 8, 2017
Status
Published
Author
Silberman
On the bench
Badalamenti, Silberman, Sleet
Cited by
11 cases
Authority
More cited than 13.5%

holding that the single homicide rule bars dual convictions for vehicular homicide and fleeing or eluding when the offenses involve the same victim

How later courts described this case

  • holding that the single homicide rule bars dual convictions for vehicular homicide and fleeing or eluding when the offenses involve the same victim
  • "[The single homicide rule] provides that although a defendant can be charged and convicted under multiple criminal statutes for conduct causing another's death during one criminal episode, that criminal defendant can only be punished once for that death." (citing State v. Cooper, 634 So. 2d 1074, 1074-75 (Fla. 1994); Houser v. State, 474 So. 2d 1193, 1197 (Fla. 1985); Rodriguez v. State, 875 So. 2d 642, 645 (Fla. 2d DCA 2004))

Written by the judges who cited it.

The opinion

SILBERMAN, Judge, Concurring,

I fully agree with' Judge Badalamenti’s thorough analysis and resolution of each of the double jeopardy pairings. I write to note two points. First, as to footnote six of the majority opinion, I do not read Valdes v. State, 3 So.3d 1067 (Fla. 2009), as casting doubt on the continued viability of the single homicide rule. Second, although McCullough’s appellate argument for-reversal focused primarily on the single homicide rule, the State argued for affir-mance based on. Blockburger v. United States, 284 U.S. 299 , 52 S.Ct. 180 , 76 L.Ed. 306 (1932). In light of our conclusion that McCullough is entitled to relief under the single homicide rule, we need not address the State’s Blockburger argument. However, if we were to reach that issue I would agree with Judge Sleet that as to the pairing of vehicular homicide and fleeing or eluding causing serious bodily injury or death, a Blockburger analysis would not support affirmance.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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