Jones

I. INTRODUCTION

In this appeal from his first degree murder conviction for the beating death of Michael Robinson, Wayne Jones claims Robinson’s family’s decision to withdraw life support from Robinson broke the chain of legal causation and relieved Jones of criminal liability. He further contends the prosecutor committed misconduct during closing argument, there was insufficient evidence of premeditation and deliberation, and the trial court applied the wrong standard in denying his motion to reduce the verdict. Finding no error, we affirm the conviction.

II. BACKGROUND

During the evening of January 11, 2020, both Jones and Robinson were in a shopping center, on opposite sides of a 99 Cent Store entrance area. Robinson sat on the sidewalk west of the store’s entry, while Jones stood in front of an ATM on the east side. Jones retrieved his bicycle, to which he had an approximately three-foot long dowel-like stick attached, and walked into the parking lot, westward. Meanwhile, Robinson made his way eastward on the sidewalk. A row of cars separated them as they walked past each other. Immediately after passing Robinson, Jones discarded his bike behind a parked car, armed himself…