People v. Shockey.

2026 CO 10. No. 24SC117. Jury Verdicts—Mutually Exclusive Verdicts—Internal Inconsistency.

February 17, 2026

The supreme court granted certiorari to review whether a negative finding on a special interrogatory was legally and logically inconsistent with the jury’s guilty verdict on the substantive offense.

The court held that the jury’s finding that Shockey did not use a deadly weapon did not negate an element of his second degree murder conviction. The court could discern the jury’s unambiguous intent, so no legal or logical inconsistency rendered the verdict infirm. Accordingly, the judgment of the court of appeals was reversed and the case was remanded for consideration of any unresolved issues.