State v. Jensen

46 P.3d 536 (2002)

Facts

D's husband left her and moved into an apartment with the victim in this case and the victim's three-year-old daughter. D became obsessed with winning her husband back. D, a registered nurse, devised a plan to kill the victim by injecting her with a lethal dose of insulin. D enlisted the help of her niece and her niece's ex-boyfriend to carry out the plan. They entered the victim's apartment and while one of her accomplices restrained the victim, D injected a lethal dose of insulin into the victim's arm. D also injected the victim with methamphetamine and placed methamphetamine in the victim's purse. D and her accomplices watched the victim suffer from the effects of the insulin and waited for her to die. When they were satisfied that the victim would not survive, they fled the apartment, leaving the victim's young daughter alone with her dying mother. D was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. D pled guilty to first-degree murder, and the state dismissed the conspiracy charge and withdrew its notice of intent to seek the death penalty. D was sentenced to a determinate life term in prison. D motioned for a reduction of her sentence, which was denied. D appealed.