State v. James

HALL, Justice:

Defendant and another held five customers hostage overnight after being confronted by police during the commission of an armed robbery of a drugstore located in Layton, Utah.

Defendant was charged and convicted by a jury of aggravated robbery 1 and five counts of aggravated kidnapping. 2 He appeals only the kidnapping convictions, contending that his actions constituted a single criminal act, hence his constitutional right not to be twice placed in jeopardy for the same offense was violated. 3 We deem his contention to be without merit.

Defendant's characterization of his crime as…