McMillan v. State

HOLLANDER, J. Following a trial in October 2006, a jury in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County convicted Nathaniel Paul McMillan, appellant, of the first-degree felony-murder of Hermann Haiss. 1 The victim was killed during a home invasion in November of 2005. Appellant, who was twenty years old at the time of trial, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Appellant presents three questions on appeal, which we quote: 1. Did the trial court err in denying Mr. McMillan’s request for an instruction concerning the affirmative defense of duress to the felony underlying the felony murder charge, despite Mr. McMillan’s videotaped statement to police that he participated in the alleged ³⁰⁸ robbery by knocking on the victim’s front door because he was afraid he otherwise would be killed? 2.

Did the trial court lack jurisdiction to try Mr. McMillan for felony murder when he was indicted only for first-degree premeditated murder? 3. Did the trial court err by issuing a reasonable doubt instruction that the Maryland Court of Appeals and the Standing Committee on Pattern Criminal Jury Instructions had specifically rejected because judges and jurors throughout the state found it too confusing? For the reasons that follow, we shall affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL SUMMARY On or about November 16, 2005, Hermann Haiss was bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat at his home on Cree Drive, in the Forest Heights neighborhood of Oxon Hill.

The evidence at trial included testimony from police detectives, evidence technicians, an assistant medical examiner, and Haiss’s son and daughter-in-law. The victim’s body was found on the floor of his garage by his daughter-in-law, Julie Haiss, on November 16, 2005. The front door of the house was ajar, and the safe that had held Haiss’s collection of firearms was open and empty. According to the victim’s son, Frank Haiss (“Frank”), who was familiar with the contents of his father’s gun collection, the missing weapons included a .357 caliber pistol, three rifles, three shotguns, and two muzzle loading firearms.

Frank stated that his father had purchased the gun safe and installed a security system for the home two years before the murder, because of an earlier burglary in which several firearms had been stolen. Approximately twelve years before the murder, appellant’s aunt and uncle had moved to the house next door to Haiss. Appellant had lived with his aunt and uncle for part of his childhood, and was a playmate of Haiss’s grandchildren. According to Frank, appellant “absolutely” would have known that Haiss owned guns. ³⁰⁹ Appellant was arrested in connection with the murder on December 16, 2005.

During a police interrogation, appellant gave a number of conflicting statements concerning the robbery and murder. Although appellant initially denied his involvement, he ultimately admitted that he knocked on Haiss’s door, allowing two friends to gain entry to the victim’s house. But, he denied that he entered Haiss’s house or took part in the robbery and murder. The police interview was recorded on DVD, portions of which were played for the jury during the testimony of the detectives who conducted the interview. 2 The first portion of the interview was conducted by Detective Thomas Hollowell.

Detective Hollowell testified that he advised appellant of his Miranda rights, which appellant waived. Initially, appellant told Detective Hollowell that he had not recently been in his former neighborhood of Forest Heights. It then emerged that appellant had been “hanging out” with people from that neighborhood and that he had heard about the murder. Appellant told Detective Hollowell that he heard that an acquaintance named “S.O.” was involved, 3 and then said that S.O. tried to sell him a .357 pistol for $300, which S.O. indicated had come from Haiss’s house.

According to Detective Hollowell, appellant did not indicate that he was afraid of S.O. or threatened by him. Moreover, appellant denied participating, or being forced to participate, in the crime. ³¹⁰ Detective Bernard Nelson conducted the next portion of the interview. He testified that appellant informed him that he had lived with his aunt and uncle, next door to Haiss. He admitted that he had been inside Haiss’s home on occasion, and had seen weapons.

Appellant described S.O. as a friend, to whom he often spoke on the telephone. Appellant told Detective Nelson that he had called S.O. recently because he had not heard from him for awhile. Detective Nelson asked appellant several times if he had been forced or compelled to participate in the crime, and appellant continued to deny any involvement. As the interview progressed, appellant admitted to Nelson that the week before the murder, S.O. and another person named “Vel” asked him for information about Haiss, including his age, his schedule, whether other persons lived at his house, whether the house had an alarm system, and the type and number of weapons that Haiss owned.

In appellant’s account to Nelson, S.O. and Vel told him they planned to knock on the door of Haiss’s house, and then one of them would “[f]uck him up once he opened the door.” According to Nelson, appellant later told him that, on the day of the crime, S.O. and Vel came to appellant’s job, and appellant asked S.O. for a ride home from work. Instead, S.O. drove Vel and appellant to Cree Drive, explaining that he and Vel needed appellant to knock on Haiss’s door, because Haiss knew appellant and would open the door for him. We discern that the following colloquy from the DVD was played for the jury: NELSON: And when you got off of work, they picked you up from work, they called you and told you they were getting you that day? Or how long did you — [crosstalk]— how long before that did you know they were going to come and get you?

APPELLANT: I didn’t. They came up there, and was like, can I get them some food? And I got them some food, and I was like, man, I get off in a little bit, why don’t you just ³¹¹ run me home, you know what I’m saying, so I don’t have to catch the bus. NELSON: Mm-hmm.

APPELLANT: And he was like, alright, I gotta talk to you about some things anyway. NELSON: Mm-hmm. APPELLANT: So I get in the car, and we driving toward Forest Heights, and I’m like, I don’t live this way. He’s like, I know where you live at.

I’m like, so where you going? He’s like, we’re just going through Forest Heights real quick. I’m like, wait, man, you know what I’m saying, I got shit I have to do. He’s like, all I need you to do is answer the — knock on the door, so the dude can answer the door.

I’m like, the fuck, I don’t, you know what I’m saying, I don’t want nothing to do with this shit. He was like, man, it’s GBA, [4] you get down or you lay down, you gonna be with that old man in the house or you gonna leave out the house with us, which one you wanna do? I was like, I’ll knock on the door. (Emphasis added.) Detective Nelson testified that at one point appellant said S.O. and Yel instructed him not to enter the house because Haiss knew him.

The following colloquy at trial is relevant: [PROSECUTOR]: At any time did the Defendant explain why the others would be concerned about him going into the house because Mr. Haiss knew him, but there was no concern about him knocking on the door when Mr. Haiss knew him? [NELSON]: He didn’t explain that. But I tried to tell him that he would have known you because he opened the door for you, but now you’re saying you didn’t go in because the victim would have known you. It didn’t make much sense. ³¹² As Nelson recounted, appellant never clearly explained why Haiss’s recognition of him would have been a bar to his entry to the house, but not to his knocking on the door: [PROSECUTOR]: Initially, when the Defendant told you that S.O. and Vel ... didn’t want him to go inside the house because Mr. Haiss knew him, did there ever come a time that the Defendant indicated any other reasons why he didn’t go into the house? [NELSON]: Well, he tried to stay with the story that they didn’t want him to go in because the victim would recognize him. He said that he didn’t want to go in because he didn’t want to be involved.

But at the same time S.O. was telling him, “Either you stay in the house with the old man or you leave with us.” So he had a choice to make. And that was the reason why he was saying, he kept saying he did not go into the house, but at the same time they were saying, “You stay in the house with the old man or you leave with us, one or the other.” [PROSECUTOR]: Did the Defendant ever explain to you how he could be threatened with, “Either you stay in the house with the old man or leave with us,” if he never went in the house? [NELSON]: No. [PROSECUTOR]: Did he ever explain how he could be left in a house that he never went into? [NELSON]: No. [PROSECUTOR]: Did you ever ask him whether or not he was aware, or whether or not he knew that this would end in Mr. Haiss’ death? [NELSON]: He didn’t say it in so many words, but that quote from S.O., I would think that was part of the conversation, that was the conclusion you had to come to. [PROSECUTOR]: Well, did he ever explain to you how being left in the house with a man that he grew up with was a threat if that man wasn’t going to be hurt? [NELSON]: No. ³¹³ [PROSECUTOR]: Did there ever come a time — well, at anytime did he say that any weapons were used to threaten him to get him to be involved in this? [NELSON]: No. Detective Nelson testified that he asked appellant several times whether appellant had gone to the door and knocked for S.O. and Vel. Nelson recounted that at one point he put his hand on appellant’s shoulder to show compassion, and told appellant that he knew he was lying because his story kept changing. The segment of the interview that the detective described was played for the jury.

In that segment, the detective said to appellant: “You felt pressure to do that for them. If you didn’t do it, you’d probably be dead right now, don’t you think?” Appellant replied, “I’d probably be dead because they killing everybody.” According to Nelson, appellant eventually admitted that he was the one who knocked on the door. Nevertheless, his account remained inconsistent. Appellant variously said that he left the scene immediately after knocking on the door; that he left and sat in the green SUV that the group had driven to the scene; and he emerged from the SUV and told the others inside the house to hurry.

According to Nelson, appellant also said the green SUV belonged to S.O.’s girlfriend, and that he had driven it to Haiss’s house. In one account, appellant told Nelson that, after Vel and S.O. exited the house, they got back into the SUV, went to someone’s house to “play” with the weapons, and S.O. then took him home. Further, Nelson recounted that appellant told him that, on the day after the incident, S.O. and Vel visited appellant and told him not to tell anyone about what had happened. Appellant also said that Vel told him details of the crime: Once inside the house, Vel had started beating Haiss; S.O. and Vel found one gun, but Haiss denied having any others; they found the safe, and forced Haiss to open it; and according to appellant’s recitation, S.O. struck Haiss in the head with a baseball bat and threatened to cut off his fingers with a “hacksaw.” Given that a hatchet was recovered from the ³¹⁴ crime scene, the detective speculated that appellant might have confused the hatchet with a hacksaw.

In addition, Nelson testified that appellant told him that, “when S.O. came to his apartment the following day, he had the .357 with him and then walked him to a back bedroom and started to put bullets into it....” According to appellant’s recitation, S.O. asked appellant if he had talked to anyone about what happened, and appellant told him no. As reported by appellant to Nelson, S.O. responded: “Good, because I don’t want any harm to come to you.” Antonio Gooding, an acquaintance of appellant, testified that around Thanksgiving 2005, appellant offered to sell him a gun for “[t]hree or four hundred dollars.” Gooding declined. Victoria Wynn, S.O.’s former girlfriend and the owner of the green SUV, testified that around Thanksgiving 2005, she saw appellant and S.O. in the living room of her apartment with an unspecified number of shotguns. She did not know where the weapons came from, but asked S.O. to remove them from her apartment.

According to Wynn, appellant did not appear scared, or act as though he were forced to be present. Devonshire Majors, another acquaintance of appellant and his relative by marriage, testified that around November 2005, she heard appellant tell S.O., a person named “Darvel,” 5 and Majors’s boyfriend, Demetrius, that he “got a move to go on with something, other people I guess.” She explained: “A move can be different crimes, any type of crime. A move can be a robbery. A move can be anything.” According to Majors, appellant said that the move was going to be against someone on his “old street,” Cree Drive, and that he had been watching a house there.

Majors recalled that around Thanksgiving, appellant offered to sell her boyfriend a gun. At the time, appellant either had a rifle or a shotgun in his pants at the time. Majors heard about Haiss’s death on television. She subsequently heard ³¹⁵ appellant tell her boyfriend that appellant had to “roll out” and “can’t come around no more.” Majors admitted that she had initially told the police that S.O. had been the one with the gun in his pants, talking to her boyfriend.

She also admitted that when she was initially interviewed by police, she felt that by talking to them she could help her boyfriend, who was jailed on unrelated charges. She insisted, however, that her boyfriend’s case was over before appellant’s trial, and that she could not help her boyfriend’s case by testifying in this case. After unsuccessfully moving for a judgment of acquittal, appellant rested without presenting evidence. In the discussion of jury instructions, the following colloquy ensued: [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I also am requesting ... the duress instruction, because at that point when he realizes, his testimony, they brought him to the scene, then he realizes the man is home and they threaten him.

THE COURT: .. . My recollection is that the law is very clear that duress must be imminent. It must be— [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Correct, Your Honor. THE COURT: — a threat of direct physical harm to the individual at that moment. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Correct.

That’s absolutely correct. THE COURT: Not weeks later, or weeks before. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Correct. THE COURT: And I don’t think there was any evidence of, he was in immediate and impending danger of death or serious bodily harm if he did not participate in this crime. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Well, I would beg to differ on that. Even the Detective’s testimony, I mean— THE COURT: The Detective’s testimony I think was that — and I can be wrong, but my recollection was it was ³¹⁶ only after the fact where they were threatening him not to tell. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: No. No. His testimony was, he talked about, “You felt compelled to do it.

You felt compelled.” And then the Detective actually said, “You thought you would be dead if you didn’t.” THE COURT: Right. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: That’s at the time of the event. THE COURT: Then he changed his story after that. I mean, that was just to get the Defendant to give a statement, and then the Defendant’s ultimate statement was different than that. But the bottom line is, in order for duress to occur, there has to be a situation in which someone is, in effect, holding a gun to his head at the time that he commits the crime, and that didn’t happen.

There is no evidence that happened. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I agree, Your Honor, but— THE COURT: And the testimony, even taken in the light most favorable to the Defendant, is what it says here as the defense of duress is not established by proof that the Defendant had been threatened with violence at an earlier time. So the mere fact that he was threatened— [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I’m not arguing that at all, Your Honor. THE COURT: — not to participate, doesn’t do it. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Only right at the scene. The Detective said, “You felt compelled.

You would be dead if you didn’t do it,” and his— THE COURT: But that was the Detective’s statement. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Yes. And my client’s response was, “Yes, they killed everybody,” basically. THE COURT: But that isn’t — there was no — I don’t think there’s anything in the statement that says that anybody was threatening him at that moment, that he actually had— [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I think that’s exactly what the testimony was. And that’s why I cross-examined and ³¹⁷ showed him on the video because he couldn’t remember saying the word “compelled” as far as “You would be dead if you didn’t.” There’s no need for the gun there because, obviously, he knows these people are bad people....

THE COURT: [T]here’s no evidence that at that very moment of the commission of the crime, anyone was threatening to harm the Defendant. I think the Defendant’s own statements don’t say, “They dragged me up to the front door and forced me to talk to the man.” No — there is no indication that is what happened. The fact that someone said, “Harm will come to you afterwards if you don’t participate,” isn’t enough. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Well, I think that’s a factual— that’s a fact. Those are the facts in evidence that I can argue to the jury as far as his intent.

Plus, it goes even further, because I mean, we have an aiding and abetting which requires, one of the elements is willful participation— THE COURT: Okay. So, you’ve got the aiding and abetting, so we’ve already covered that. As far as I’m concerned, aiding and abetting is already covered. Whether or not the jury finds that he was a voluntary participant.

If they find he wasn’t a voluntary participant, then they can say that they found that he did not aid and abet the murder of Mr. Haiss. And that is where it will go. But— [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: That’s why I’m asking. THE COURT: — and they may also feel that he was not a willing participant in the robbery.

And if they do, then they will find him not to be guilty of the offense. But that — I think those are the arguments you can make. I’m not going to give them the separate instruction on duress. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Just so the record is clear— THE COURT: You may take exception to that. ³¹⁸ [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: — because of the underlying felony of robbery, duress would be usable in that. Had Mr. Haiss not died, the duress would be available under underlying robbery.

THE COURT: Under your theory. And I’ve just said, no, I feel that it’s entirely covered by the aiding and abetting instruction, which covers the voluntariness issue. I do not find that this case has any evidence that rises to the point of duress as an element, and I’m not going to instruct the jury . .to that extent. You may note your exception at this time.

I will not give the duress instruction. Pursuant to its earlier ruling, the court did not propound a duress instruction. As to aiding and abetting, the court gave the following instructions, without objection: Now the Defendant is charged with the crime of murder. A person who aids and abets in the commission of a crime is as guilty as the actual perpetrator, even though he did not personally commit each of the acts that constitute the crime.

A person aids and abets the commission of a crime by knowingly associating with the criminal venture with the intent to help commit the crime, being present when the crime is committed, and seeking, by some act,- to make the crime succeed. In order to prove that the Defendant aided and abetted the commission of a crime, the State must prove: That the Defendant was present when the crime was committed; and that the Defendant willfully participated with the intent to make the crime succeed. Willful participation means voluntary and intentional participation in the criminal act. (Emphasis added.) As to reasonable doubt, the court instructed as follows, without objection: The State has the burden of proving the guilt of the Defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.

This burden remains on the State throughout the trial. The Defendant is ³¹⁹ not required to prove his innocence. However, the State is not required to prove guilt beyond all possible doubt or to a mathematical certainty. Nor is the State required to negate every conceivable circumstance of innocence.

A reasonable doubt is a doubt founded upon reason. It is not a fanciful doubt, a whimsical doubt or a capricious doubt. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt requires such proof as would convince you of the truth of a fact to the extent that you would be willing to act upon such belief without reservation in your own business or personal affairs. However, if you are not satisfied of the Defendant’s guilt to that extent, then reasonable doubt exists and the Defendant must be found not guilty.

(Emphasis added.) In his summation, appellant’s counsel essentially argued coercion. We quote a portion of his closing remarks: Why would they say, “We’ll leave you here with the old man”? My understanding of all that is, my client testified that “I’m being threatened to go there.” And the officer says, “So you felt compelled to go.” Now, all that is threats at the time when this is all happening. Because my client’s statement, no matter how many times he lied to get to what Detective Nelson felt was, you know, a usable statement on him, his statement is, that they had, forced him and needed to use him to get Mr. Haiss to open the door ....

And his response was, “Yeah, they’re killing everybody.” So, he knew. He didn’t say they had a gun to his head. They didn’t need guns to threaten him. They certainly didn’t need a gun to kill Mr. Haiss.

I suggest to you he did not willfully do it. I don’t know how many times the story changed, he did not willfully go there. He did not willfully want to kill Mr. Haiss. And he did not want to place any harm on Mr. Haiss. ³²⁰ [HJe’s stuck in the car, and they tell him, “You’re coming with us or we’re going to leave you here.” If somebody tells me that, I think if they’re going to leave me there, is not a good position.

And knocking on the door might be just enough to get it over with. But by knocking on that door, he opened a can of worms he’s going to regret for the rest of his life. We shall include additional facts in our discussion. DISCUSSION I. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in refusing to propound a jury instruction as to the defense of duress.

He concedes that the evidence of duress was “slim and inconclusive,” and was contradicted by other evidence, including some of his own statements during the interrogation. Nevertheless, he insists that his pre-trial statements were sufficient to entitle him to the instruction. In particular, he points to his affirmative response to Detective Nelson’s comment that if he (appellant) had not participated in Haiss’s robbery, he would “probably be dead right now.” In his view, a jury could reasonably have chosen to credit his claim that he was coerced to participate, and thus the evidence sufficed to overcome the minimal evidentiary threshold required for the duress instruction. At the outset, the State questions whether a duress instruction would be available to appellant under any circumstance, given that appellant was charged with murder.

Quoting Frasher v. State, 8 Md.App. 439, 260 A.2d 656 , cert. denied sub nom. McLaughlin v. Director, Patuxent Inst., 400 U.S. 959 , 91 S.Ct. 360 , 27 L.Ed.2d 269 (1970), a narcotics case, the State claims that duress “is a defense as to all crimes except taking the life of an innocent person----” Id. at 447. According to the State, this principle “suggests that the defense is not available for first degree felony murder, and that the trial ³²¹ court properly denied McMillan’s request for the instruction____” Moreover, the State observes that appellant “does not cite any Maryland authority for the proposition that the defense of duress is available for an underlying felony under the felony murder doctrine.” In his reply brief, appellant insists that duress is available as a defense to felony-murder. He cites Wentworth v. State, 29 Md.App. 110, 349 A.2d 421 (1975), cert. denied, 278 Md. 735 (1976), as well as several cases from other jurisdictions, in support of that proposition.

See, e.g., People v. Anderson, 28 Cal.4th 767 , 122 Cal.Rptr.2d 587 , 50 P.3d 368, 379 (Cal.2002); Wright v. State, 402 So.2d 493 , 498-99 n. 8 (Fla.Ct.App.1981); People v. Serrano, 286 Ill.App.3d 485 , 222 Ill.Dec. 47 , 676 N.E.2d 1011, 1015 (1997), cert. denied, 173 Ill.2d 541 , 226 Ill.Dec. 137 , 684 N.E.2d 1340 (1997); State v. Dunn, 243 Kan. 414 , 758 P.2d 718, 725 (1988); People v. Campos, 108 A.D.2d 751 , 484 N.Y.S.2d 907, 908 (1985); Tully v. State, 730 P.2d 1206, 1210 (Okla.Crim.App.1986); Pugliese v. Commonwealth, 16 Va.App. 82 , 428 S.E.2d 16, 26 (1993). We pause to review the felony-murder doctrine, as it is pertinent to the parties’ contentions. “ ‘Murder is the killing of one human being by another with the requisite malevolent state of mind and without justification, excuse, or mitigation.’ ” Thornton v. State, 397 Md. 704, 724 , 919 A.2d 678 (2007) (citation omitted). Under Maryland law, murder remains a common law crime. But, by statute, it has been divided into two degrees for purposes of punishment.

Clemons v. State, 392 Md. 339 , 345 n. 2, 896 A.2d 1059 (2006); Roary v. State, 385 Md. 217 , 231 n. 12, 867 A.2d 1095 (2005); Sifrit v. State, 383 Md. 116, 138 , 857 A.2d 88 (2004); Mitchell v. State, 363 Md. 130, 146 , 767 A.2d 844 (2001); Burch v. State, 346 Md. 253 , 696 A.2d 443 , cert. denied, 522 U.S. 1001 , 118 S.Ct. 571 , 139 L.Ed.2d 410 (1997). 6 ³²² Maryland Code (2002, 2007 Supp.), § 2-201 of the Criminal Law Article (“C.L.”), defines first-degree murder: § 2-201. Murder in the first degree. (a) In general — A murder is in the first degree if it is: (1) a deliberate, premeditated, and willful killing; [7] (2) committed by lying in wait; (3) committed by poison; or (4) committed in the perpetration of or an attempt to perpetrate [any of twelve enumerated felonies, including]: (ix) robbery.... * * * (b) Penalty. — (1) A person who commits a murder in the first degree is guilty of a felony and on conviction shall be sentenced to: (i) death; [8] (ii) imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole; or (iii) imprisonment for life. Under C.L. § 2-204, “[a] murder that is not in the first degree under [C.L.] § 2-201 ... is in the second degree,” and is punishable by “imprisonment not exceeding 30 years.” ³²³ Four malevolent states of mind may support a conviction of murder: (1) the intent to kill; (2) the intent to inflict such grievous bodily harm that death would be the likely result; (3) the intent to do an act under circumstances that manifest a “depraved heart,” i.e., an extreme indifference to the value of human life; and (4) the intent to commit a dangerous felony.

Thornton, 397 Md. at 724 -25 & 741, 919 A.2d 678 ; Ross v. State, 308 Md. 337, 340 , 519 A.2d 735 (1987). This fourth state of mind encompasses the common law felony-murder doctrine. The Court of Appeals explained in Roary, 385 Md. at 226-27 , 867 A.2d 1095 : “At common law one whose conduct brought about an unintended death in the commission or attempted commission of a felony was guilty of murder.” Wayne R. LaFave, Substantive Criminal Law § 14.5 (2d ed.2003). The modern felony-murder rule is “intended to deter dangerous conduct by punishing as murder a homicide resulting from dangerous conduct in the perpetration of a felony, even if the defendant did not intend to kill.” Fisher v. State, 367 Md. 218, 262 , 786 A.2d 706 (2001).

The doctrine recognizes that in society’s judgment, “an intentionally committed [felony] that causes the death of a human being is qualitatively more serious than an identical [felony] that does not.” Crump & Crump, In Defense of the Felony Murder Doctrine, 8 Harv. J.L. & Pub. Pol’y 359, 363 (1985). In State v. Allen, 387 Md. 389 , 875 A.2d 724 (2005), the Court recognized that, under the modern view of felony-murder, the commission of the underlying felony or its attempt do not “ ‘simply imply malice; it is rather the case that they are malice by definition.’ ” Id. at 403 , 875 A.2d 724 (quoting Charles E. Moylan, Jr., Criminal Homicide Law § 5.1 at 105 (2002) (“Moylan”) (Moylan’s emphasis)).

What the Court said in Watkins v. State, 357 Md. 258, 267 , 744 A.2d 1 (2000), is also relevant (internal citations omitted): Under Maryland common law, a homicide arising in the commission of [a dangerous] felony is murder “whether death was intended or not, the fact that the person was engaged in such perpetration or attempt being sufficient to ³²⁴ supply the element of malice.” That substituted form of malice represents, in a way, a vertical extension of the normal requirement that, for a homicide to constitute murder, the defendant must intend to kill the victim. It has also long been established that, under the felony-murder doctrine, a participating felon is guilty of murder when a homicide has been committed by a co-felon in furtherance of the underlying felony. That extension, which invokes the rule of accomplice liability, is, in essence, a horizontal one, making culpable other persons, who did not actually commit the homicide and who may, in fact have earnestly desired that it not have happened. See also Moylan, § 5. 1, at 106; Evans v. State, 28 Md.App. 640, 686 n. 23, 349 A.2d 300 (1975), aff'd, 278 Md. 197 , 362 A.2d 629 (1976).

The felony-murder doctrine applies to both first- and second-degree murder. The General Assembly’s “delineation of] murder into degrees for purposes of punishment, did not alter the common law felony-murder doctrine.” Roary, 385 Md. at 231 n. 12, 867 A.2d 1095 . As we explained in Harvey v. State, 111 Md.App. 401, 407 , 681 A.2d 628 , cert. denied, 344 Md. 330 , 686 A.2d 635 (1996), if a homicide occurred in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of one of the felonies enumerated in C.L. § 2-201 (a)(4), 9 all participants in the underlying felony would be guilty of murder in the first degree. “Their individual intents would be immaterial, provided only that they had the necessary intent to commit the underlying felony.” Id. at 407-408, 681 A.2d 628 . On the other hand, “[i]f the felony should be one of the residual felonies under the common law felony-murder doctrine and not one of those listed in [C.L. § 2-201(a)(4) ], the guilt of all participants would then be murder in the second degree, under the common law felony-murder doctrine.” Id. at 408, ³²⁵ 681 A.2d 628 . 10 Once the felony-murder doctrine “ ‘has already operated,’ ” C.L. § 2 — 201(a)(4) is triggered to determine whether “ ‘the already established murder shall be punished as murder in the first degree,’ ” because of the involvement of one of the felonies specifically designated in the statute.

Moylan, § 5.1 at 106 (citation omitted). With these principles in mind, we turn to consider the defense of duress, which was explicated in Frasher, supra, 8 Md.App. at 447 , 260 A.2d 656 . There, Chief Judge Orth explained for the Court that “it is a defense as to all crimes except taking the life of an innocent person that the defendant acted under a compelling force of coercion or duress.” Id. at 447-48 , 260 A.2d 656 . Distilling the requirements of the defense, the Court said: In order to constitute a defense, the duress by another person on the defendant must be present, imminent, and impending, and of such a nature as to induce well grounded apprehension of death or serious bodily injury if the act is not done.

It must be of such a character as to leave no opportunity to the accused for escape. Mere fear or threat by another is not sufficient nor is a threat of violence at some prior time. The defense cannot be raised if the apprehended harm is only that of property damage or future but not present personal injury. However, there appears to be accord that the defense cannot be claimed if the compulsion arose by the defendant’s own fault, negligence or misconduct.

Id. at 449 , 260 A.2d 656 (emphasis added; internal citations and footnote omitted); see also Williams v. State, 101 Md. App. 408, 412-26 , 646 A.2d 1101 (1994), cert. denied, 337 Md. 90 , 651 A.2d 855 (1995); Wentworth, 29 Md.App. at 118 , 349 ³²⁶ A.2d 421. Nevertheless, “the question of what acts are sufficient to constitute duress is a matter for the determination of the jury.” Frasher, 8 Md.App. at 449-50 , 260 A.2d 656 . The Maryland Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions (“MPJICR”) provide the following instruction on duress in MPJI-CR 5:03: You have heard evidence that the defendant acted under the influence of an overpowering force. This is called duress.

Duress will excuse an act that would otherwise be criminal. You are required to find the defendant not guilty ’ if all of the following four factors are present: (1) the defendant actually believed that the duress placed [him] [her] in immediate and impending danger of death or serious bodily harm; (2) the defendant’s belief was reasonable; (3) the defendant had no reasonable opportunity for escape; and (4) the defendant committed the crime because of the duress. The defense of duress is not established by proof that the defendant had been threatened with violence at an earlier time. [He][she] must have been under a present threat at the time of the actual commission of the crime charged. In order to convict the defendant, the State must prove that the defendant did not act under duress.

This means that you are required to find the defendant not guilty unless the State has persuaded you, beyond a reasonable doubt, that at least one of the four factors of duress was absent. As noted, appellant and the State dispute whether duress can be a defense to felony-murder. The State cites Wentworth, supra, 29 Md.App. 110 , 349 A.2d 421 , for the proposition that “the law, as a matter of social policy, has declared that the defense of duress may not extend to the taking of an innocent person’s life.” Id. at 118-19 , 349 A.2d 421 . In his reply brief, appellant accuses the State of selective quotation from Wentworth, and argues that the State’s position is, in fact, foreclosed by Wentworth’s holding.

Although the state ³²⁷ ments from Wentworth upon which appellant relies were dicta, we agree with appellant that Wentworth supports the proposition that duress may be a defense to felony-murder, and we adopt that proposition. We explain. In Wentworth, stating that “the law is now clear,” we quoted the following passage from Professors LaFave and Scott: “It has been held that duress cannot justify murder — or, as it is better expressed (since duress may justify the underlying felony and so justify what would otherwise be a felony murder), duress cannot justify the intentional killing of (or attempt to kill) an innocent third person.” 29 Md.App. at 119 , 349 A.2d 421 (quoting LaFave & Scott, Criminal Law 376 (1972)) (“LaFave”). Appellant further quotes LaFave, at 377: The law properly recognizes that one is justified in aiding a robbery if he is forced by threats to do so to save his life; he should not lose the defense because his threateners unexpectedly kill someone in the course of the robbery and thus convert a mere robbery into a murder.

Although the Wentworth Court discussed duress in the context of murder, felony-murder was not at issue in that ease, and the Court’s elucidation of the application of the duress defense to felony-murder was dictum. Other than Wentworth, we have not uncovered any reported Maryland decision that has addressed this issue. Among the states that retain the common law felony-murder doctrine 11 and have considered whether duress may relieve a defendant of liability for felony-murder by operating as a defense to the underlying felony, a majority of jurisdictions have determined that duress is available as a defense. See People v. Hinton, 37 Cal.4th 839 , 38 Cal.Rptr.3d 149 , 126 P.3d ³²⁸ 981, 1015 (2006) (citing Anderson, supra, 122 Cal.Rptr.2d 587 , 50 P.3d at 379 ), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 127 S.Ct. 581 , 166 L.Ed.2d 434 (2006); People v. Sims, 374 Ill.App.3d 231 , 312 Ill.Dec. 124 , 869 N.E.2d 1115, 1145 (2007), cert. denied, 226 Ill.2d 604 , 316 Ill.Dec. 549 , 879 N.E.2d 937 (2007); State v. Hunter, 241 Kan. 629 , 740 P.2d 559, 568-69 (1987); Tully, supra, 730 P.2d at 1210 ; Pugliese, supra, 428 S.E.2d at 26 .

As the basis for their decisions, several of these courts have explicitly adopted Professor LaFave’s reasoning, as quoted in Wentworth. See, e.g., Anderson, 122 Cal.Rptr.2d 587 , 50 P.3d at 379 ; Hunter, 740 P.2d at 568 ; Tully, 730 P.2d at 1210 ; Pugliese, 428 S.E.2d at 26 . Additionally, in some states, duress may be a defense to any crime, including murder. See, e.g., MacKool v. State, 363 Ark. 295 , 213 S.W.3d 618, 623 (2005); State v. Heinemann, 282 Conn. 281 , 920 A.2d 278, 290 (2007).

But cf. People v. Moseler, 202 Mich.App. 296 , 508 N.W.2d 192, 194 (1993) (rejecting duress defense to involuntary manslaughter), cert. denied, 445 Mich. 919 , 519 N.W.2d 899 (1994). Moreover, the state courts that have rejected the proposition that duress may be a defense to felony-murder have done so on the basis of state statutes that explicitly limit the scope of the duress defense, a situation that does not obtain in Maryland. See, e.g., State v. Ellison, 213 Ariz. 116 , 140 P.3d 899, 914 (2006), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 127 S.Ct. 506 , 166 L.Ed.2d 377 (2006); State v. Encinas, 132 Ariz. 493 , 647 P.2d 624, 626-27 (1982); Moore v. State, 697 N.E.2d 1268 , 1273 & n. 2 (Ind.App.1998); State v. Rumble, 680 S.W.2d 939, 942 (Mo.1984); State v. Ng, 110 Wash.2d 32 , 750 P.2d 632, 636 (1988). 12 As appellant observes, “Maryland does not have ³²⁹ such a law”; duress remains a common law defense in Maryland. At common law, the rationale for barring the duress defense in a prosecution for murder was that a person “ought rather to die himself than escape by the murder of an innocent.” 5 Blackstone’s Commentaries 30.

This rationale disappears when the sole ground for the murder charge is that the defendant participated in an underlying felony, under duress, and the defendant’s co-felons unexpectedly killed the victim, thereby elevating the charge to felony-murder. We conclude that if duress would serve as a defense to the underlying felony, it is also available as a defense to a felony-murder arising from that felony, assuming the criteria for such a defense are otherwise satisfied. Therefore, we shall proceed to consider whether, under the circumstances of this case, appellant was entitled to a jury instruction as to the defense of duress.

II

The responsibility of a judge to instruct the jury in a criminal trial is governed by Maryland Rule 4-325 (2008), which provides: “The court may, and at the request of any party shall, instruct the jury as to the applicable law....” But, “[t]he court need not grant a requested instruction if the matter is fairly covered by instructions actually given.” On review, we “ ‘must determine whether the requested instruction was a correct statement of the law; whether it was applicable under the facts of the case [i.e., whether the evidence was sufficient to generate the desired instruction]; and whether it was fairly covered in the instructions actually given.’ ” Janey v. State, 166 Md.App. 645, 654 , 891 A.2d 355 (quoting Gunning v. State, 347 Md. 332, 348 , 701 A.2d 374 (1997)), cert. denied, 392 Md. 725 , 898 A.2d 1005 (2006). “ ‘As a general proposition a defendant is entitled to an instruction as to any recognized defense for which there exists evidence sufficient for a reasonable jury to find in his favor.’ ” General v. State, 367 Md. 475, 486 , 789 A.2d 102 ³³⁰ (2002) (quoting Mathews v. United States, 485 U.S. 58, 63 , 108 S.Ct. 883 , 99 L.Ed.2d 54 (1988)). Whether the requested, instruction is applicable to the facts is a question of law, Roach v. State, 358 Md. 418, 428 , 749 A.2d 787 (2000), which “turns on whether there is any evidence in the case that supports the instruction.” Dishman v. State, 352 Md. 279, 292 , 721 A.2d 699 (1998); see Riggins v. State, 155 Md.App. 181, 222 , 843 A.2d 115 , cert. denied, 381 Md. 676 , 851 A.2d 595 (2004). This threshold is not high. A criminal defendant is entitled to an accurate jury instruction so long as the defendant “ ‘produced that minimum threshold of evidence necessary to establish a prima facie case that would allow a jury to rationally conclude that the evidence supports the application of the legal theory desired.’ ” Cantine v. State 160 Md.App. 391, 410-11 , 864 A.2d 226 (2004) (citation omitted), cert. denied, 386 Md. 181 , 872 A.2d 46 (2005).

Moreover, to ascertain whether “competent evidence exists to generate the requested instruction, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the accused.” Fleming v. State, 373 Md. 426, 433 , 818 A.2d 1117 (2003); accord Brogden v. State, 384 Md. 631, 650 , 866 A.2d 129 (2005). Put another way, a requested instruction must be given if there is “some evidence” that supports the defense theory. Dykes v. State, 319 Md. 206, 216 , 571 A.2d 1251 (1990). In Dykes, the Court explained, 319 Md. at 216-17 , 571 A.2d 1251 : Some evidence is not strictured by the test of a specific standard.

It calls for no more than what it says — “some,” as that word is understood in common, everyday usage. It need not rise to the level of “beyond a reasonable doubt” or “clear and convincing” or “preponderance.” The source of the evidence is immaterial; it may emanate solely from the defendant. It is of no matter that the ... claim is overwhelmed by evidence to the contrary. If there is any evidence relied upon by the defendant which, if believed, would support his claim ... the defendant has met his burden.

(Emphasis in original.) ³³¹ See also Smith v. State, 302 Md. 175, 181 , 486 A.2d 196 (1985) (“ ‘[A] defendant may offer uncorroborated testimony and thereupon become entitled to an instruction on such defenses as ... duress ....”’) (citation omitted); Allen v. State, 157 Md.App. 177, 184 , 850 A.2d 365 (2004). But see State v. Smullen, 380 Md. 233, 268-274 , 844 A.2d 429 (2004) (rejecting claim that defendant was entitled to self-defense instruction based on claim of battered child syndrome, because hearsay statements of the defendant alone were not sufficient evidence “of the kind of repetitive cycle of violence that lies at the heart of the [battered child] syndrome”). However, as we explained in Marquardt v. State, 164 Md.App. 95, 131 , 882 A.2d 900 , cert. denied, 390 Md. 91 , 887 A.2d 656 (2005), “[t]here must be ‘some evidence’ to support each element of the defense’s legal theory before the requested instruction is warranted.” (Emphasis added.) And, “where the defendant’s subjective belief at a particular time must be shown to generate a defense, only evidence bearing directly on that issue will suffice. Evidence of the defendant’s subjective belief at some earlier time will not do.” State v. Martin, 329 Md. 351, 368 , 619 A.2d 992 , cert. denied, 510 U.S. 855 , 114 S.Ct. 161 , 126 L.Ed.2d 122 (1993).

Appellant attributes three errors to the trial court in denying the requested instruction on duress. First, appellant contends that the court “usurped the jury’s role as factfinder” by purporting to resolve the conflicts in his statements to police and “ignoring] Mr. McMillan’s statements ... concerning the threats against his life because Mr. McMillan ‘changed his story’ during the overnight investigation.” Second, appellant argues that the trial court erred to the extent that it based its ruling on the ground that “the issue of voluntariness was ‘entirely covered by the aiding and abetting instruction.’ ” Finally, he insists that the trial court erred “in concluding that it was legally impossible for the jury to conclude that Mr. McMillan was under an imminent threat of harm at the time he participated” in Haiss’s robbery. ³³² While noting that appellant’s statement was “rife with inconsistencies,” the State does not rely on the inconsistency of appellant’s statement to support its position. Instead, it argues: “Even in the light most favorable to McMillan, this evidence failed to make out a prima facie case of duress.” The State maintains that, at the requisite point in time, there was no evidence that appellant was in fear of “immediate and impending” danger of death or serious bodily harm. MPJICR 5:03(1).

It asserts: “The detective’s statement to McMillan — that he must have felt ‘pressured’ to knock on the door or he would probably be dead right now — and McMillan’s response — that he would ‘probably be dead’ — is no substitute for the required evidence [of] imminent threat of death or serious physical injury.” The State argues: “At most, McMillan was afraid of being hurt by ‘S.O.’ in the future, but he did not describe a fear of imminent harm at the time of the act.” Moreover, the State insists that, even if appellant were in fear of death or serious harm, there was no evidence to support the element that his fear was “well grounded,” Frasher, 8 Md.App. at 449, 260 A.2d 656 , or, in the words of the pattern instruction, “reasonable.” MPJI-CR 5:03(2). “Indeed,” comments the State, “there was no evidence regarding the nature of the alleged threat or how it might be carried out, only that they told McMillan they needed him to knock on the door.” In addition, the State maintains that appellant failed to adduce evidence supporting the third element, i.e., that he “had no reasonable opportunity to escape.” MPJI-CR 5:03(3). In this regard, claims the State, appellant did not provide any reason to explain why he could not have run from S.O. and Vel. The State suggests that a particular avenue of escape might have been the home of appellant’s aunt and uncle, who lived next door to Haiss. Finally, the State rejects appellant’s claim that the court’s reliance on the aiding and abetting instruction was misplaced.

It reasons: ³³³ The jury was instructed that the State must prove that the defendant was “present when the crime was committed; and that the Defendant willfully participated with the intent to make the crime succeed.” As the trial judge pointed out, because the jury was required to find that McMillan was a voluntary participant, it could find that “he was not a willing participant in the robbery. And if they do, then they will find him not to be guilty of the offense.” (Quoting trial court; State’s emphasis). As noted, appellant was merely required to adduce “some evidence” to support the instruction. In explaining the “some evidence” standard, the Court in Dykes was clear: “It is of no matter that the ... claim is overwhelmed by evidence to the contrary.

If there is any evidence relied upon by the defendant which, if believed, would support his claim ... the defendant has met his burden.” Dykes, 319 Md. at 217 , 571 A.2d 1251 . Here, the trial judge commented on the inconsistencies in appellant’s statement. Regarding appellant’s assertion that he would “probably be dead” had he not participated in the robbery, the judge observed: “Then he changed his story after that.” The court also alluded to appellant’s inconsistent statements after defense counsel referred to appellant’s statement that “they’re killing everybody.” The judge commented: “And that was midway through what he said....” It does not appear, however, that the judge relied on the inconsistencies in ruling on appellant’s request. In particular, the judge stated: “But the bottom line is, in order for duress to occur, there has to be a situation in which someone is, in effect, holding a gun to his head at the time that he commits the crime, and that didn’t happen.

There is no evidence that happened.” (Emphasis added.) The court continued: “And the testimony, even taken in the light 'most favorable to the Defendant, is what it says here as the defense of duress is not established by proof that the Defendant had been threatened with violence at an earlier time.” (Emphasis added.) The remainder of the colloquy between court and counsel focused ³³⁴ on whether there was any evidence that the putative threat to appellant was imminent. We are satisfied that, despite the court’s references to appellant’s contradictory statements, the court properly focused on whether appellant adduced “some evidence” of imminent threat. Therefore, appellant’s claim is unavailing. Even if the court had erroneously considered the contradictions, reversal would not be compelled.

It is well established that, where the record in a case adequately demonstrates that the decision of the trial court was correct, although on a ground not relied upon by the trial court and perhaps not even raised by the parties, an appellate court will affirm. In other words, a trial court’s decision may be correct, although for a different reason than relied on by that court. Robeson v. State, 285 Md. 498, 502 , 403 A.2d 1221 (1979), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 1021 , 100 S.Ct. 680 , 62 L.Ed.2d 654 (1980). See also, e.g., Rush v. State, 403 Md. 68, 103 , 939 A.2d 689 (2008); Gerald v. State, 137 Md.App. 295, 305 , 768 A.2d 140 , cert. denied, 364 Md. 462 , 773 A.2d 514 (2001). 13 If appellant was not entitled to the duress instruction, any error by the trial court in how it reached that conclusion would not prejudice appellant, because application of the correct principles would yield the same result.

We shall discuss appellant’s entitlement, infra. Appellant also complains that the trial court erred when it said that appellant’s duress argument was “entirely covered by the aiding and abetting instruction, which covers the voluntariness issue.” The court reasoned: ³³⁵ If [the jurors] find he wasn’t a voluntary participant, then they can say that they found that he did not aid and abet the murder of Mr. Haiss ... and they may also feel that he was not a willing participant in the robbery. And if they do, then they will find him not to be guilty of the offense. Thereafter, in accordance with MPJI-CR 6:01, the court instructed the jury that one of the elements of aiding and abetting was “that the Defendant wilfully participated with the intent to make the crime succeed.” It added: “Willful participation means voluntary and intentional participation in the criminal act.” The State argues that, “even if it were generated, an instruction on duress was not required in this case because it was fairly covered by the aiding and abetting instruction.” Maintaining that the trial court erred in relying on the aiding and abetting instruction to communicate the concept of duress, appellant contends: The common law draws a sharp distinction between the presence of the mens rea necessary to commit or aid an offense and the existence of duress.

It is entirely possible for a defendant to possess the mens rea necessary to aid and abet a crime and nevertheless to have provided such aid under duress. Once again, appellant directs our attention to Wentworth, 29 Md.App. 110 , 349 A.2d 421 . There, we again quoted LaFave at 374-75, stating, 29 Md.App. at 117-18 , 349 A.2d 421 (emphasis added): “One who, under the pressure of an unlawful threat from another human being to harm him (or to harm a third person), commits what would otherwise be a crime may, under some circumstances, be justified in doing what he did and thus not be guilty of the crime in question. The requirement for this defense of duress is that a threat of a human being which operates upon the defendant’s mind, rather than of the pressure of a human being which operates upon his body (as where A pushes B against C, causing C to fall over the cliff where the three are standing, ³³⁶ admiring the view).

The rationale of the defense is not that the defendant, faced with the unnerving threat of harm unless he does an act which violates the literal language of the criminal law, somehow loses his mental capacity to commit the crime in question. Rather, it is that, even though he has the mental state which the crime requires, his conduct which violates the literal language of the criminal law is justified because he has thereby avoided a harm of greater magnitude. If A, armed with a gun, threatens B, a taxi driver, with death unless B drives him to the scene of a robbery planned by A, B is not guilty of the robbery which A commits at the scene, because it is better for society as a whole that B[do] the lesser harm (aid A in the robbery) than that B’s life be lost.” Although Wentworth is instructive, it did not involve felony-murder. In the context of felony-murder, we have not located any Maryland case that has spoken directly to the interplay between duress and the “willful participation” or “voluntariness” element of aiding and abetting.

To be sure, the State’s position, apparently shared by the trial judge, is not devoid of logic. Indeed, in Frasher the Court seemed to equate “voluntariness” with lack of duress when it said, 8 Md.App. at 447-48 , 260 A.2d 656 (emphasis added): It is essential to a crime that the defendant committed a voluntary act. Voluntariness in this context has a limited meaning.... The voluntary requirement of the criminal act relates directly to compulsion; it is a defense as to all crimes except taking the life of an innocent person that the defendant acted under a compelling force of coercion or duress.

Nevertheless, we cannot endorse the proposition that the “voluntariness” component of an aiding and abetting instruction suffices, for purposes of Maryland Rule 4-325(a), to “fairly cover” the concept of duress. Thus, in factual circumstances that could support a duress defense, an instruction as to aiding and abetting would not relieve the trial court from its obligation to “instruct the jury as to the applicable law.” ³³⁷ Were we to conclude otherwise, we would essentially render the duress instruction superfluous whenever a defendant’s guilt is premised on accomplice liability, even in factual circumstances akin to the paradigmatic “gun to the head” example. Accordingly, we conclude that the aiding and abetting instruction is not a substitute for a duress instruction. In the context of this case, the aiding and abetting instruction could not substitute for the duress instruction for yet another reason.

Appellant was not charged separately with robbery. When the court instructed the jury as to aiding and abetting, it prefaced the instruction by saying, “Now the Defendant is charged with the crime of murder” (Emphasis added.) The trial court also said: “The Defendant is charged with the crime of robbery only as an essential element of felony murder.” Therefore, in the context of the instruction given to the jury, the “intent to help commit the crime” and “willful participation] with the intent to make the crime succeed” were presented only with respect to the charge of murder, not robbery. Put another way, the jury was instructed as to the intent requirement of aiding and abetting only with respect to the intent to kill; it was not instructed as to the intent requirement for aiding and abetting a robbery. Yet, the jury acquitted appellant of premeditated first-degree murder and second-degree murder, thereby necessarily rejecting the proposition that appellant acted with the intent to kill Haiss, either as principal or aider and abettor.

But, he was convicted of felony-murder. Even assuming, arguendo, that the aiding and abetting instruction could suffice to explain the concept of duress in some cases, in this case we cannot know whether the jury understood that appellant would not have been guilty of felony-murder if he was a coerced participant in the robbery, because the court did not separately instruct the jury on aiding and abetting with respect to robbery. A Florida case helps to illustrate the difficulty attendant here. In Wright, supra, 402 So.2d 493 , Wright was convicted of premeditated first-degree murder.

Wright and her co- ³³⁸ defendant planned to kill a co-worker, because the co-worker “knew too much” about a “contract” Wright’s co-defendant had to kill yet another intended victim. Id. at 494-95 . Wright and her co-defendant lured their co-worker to an isolated area, where first Wright and then the co-defendant shot the victim. Id. at 495 .

On appeal, Wright contended she did not intend to kill the victim, and that the initial shot she fired at the victim was not the fatal wound. Id. at 496