State v. Chism

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Herd, J.:

This is a criminal case wherein defendants Carl Wenzel and Gregory Chism appeal their jury convictions of first-degree felony murder, K.S.A. 21-3401, for which they were given life sentences.

Wenzel and Chism were together with their wives Penny Wenzel and Carlene Chism at a nightclub on August 24, 1985. They learned Ron Hawkins and his girlfriend, Teresa Stanhope, were throwing an after-hours party at a hotel and would not be returning home that night. Chism had been in Hawkins’ home in the past and knew he kept cocaine and money hidden in a…