State of Washington v. Joshua Hawthorne
- A jury convicted Hawthorne of felony murder, predicated on the offense of first degree robbery. The trial court sentenced him to an exceptional sentence lower than the standard range. Hawthorne appeals his conviction, arguing it violated his constitutional protection against cruel punishment. He also asserts that the trial court erroneously admitted irrelevant and prejudicial evidence, that the erroneous statement of the holding in State v. Fisher violated his right to remain silent, and that the prosecutor improperly argued that Hawthorne’s case was “absurd” during closing argument. The State responds, among other things, that applying felony murder to juveniles is constitutional. COA #876414. King County Superior Court #21-C-00751-4 SEA.