State v. Robinson

Robert Robinson (defendant) got involved in a dispute that resulted in the death of Dena’Jua Delaney (a.k.a. Bubbles). Two groups of young people met on Garfield Road (a.k.a. The One Way) to fight. Robinson drove his girlfriend, two of his girlfriend’s friends, and Jeremy Logan (defendant) to The One Way. A crowd had convened. At some point, a friend of Delaney’s approached Robinson’s car and punched Logan in the face. According to most eyewitnesses, Logan then fired several shots toward the crowd behind the car, and Robinson fired his gun out his window and toward the back of the car. Delaney fell to the ground after Robinson fired his gun. Robinson drove off. Someone in the crowd then started shooting at the car. Both Logan and Robinson turned themselves in. Robinson admitted to having fired one shot toward the back of his car but stated that someone in the crowd fired, then Logan fired, and then someone from the crowd fired. Logan told Robinson his gun was jammed, so Robinson fired a shot and drove away. Robinson maintained that the crowd had dispersed by the time he fired his gun. Robinson went to trial on charges of murder, felonious assault, and discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises. Logan pleaded guilty after testifying against Robinson. Robinson was acquitted of murder but found guilty of felony murder and the other offenses. On appeal, Robinson argued that the state (plaintiff) failed to prove that he acted knowingly and that the evidence only established recklessness.