State v. Cronin

— We granted direct review of judgments of the King County Superior Court in two separate cases, State v. Bui and State v. Cronin. The principal and only common issue that is presented in the consolidated appeal of these cases is whether the jury in each case was provided with a correct instruction on the law regarding accomplice liability. For reasons stated herein, we conclude that the instructions were defective and not harmless in either case. Consequently, Bui’s conviction for first degree assault and Cronin’s conviction for aggravated murder in the first degree are reversed. Cronin’s…