IN T H E C O U R T O F A P P E A L S O F T H E S T A T E O F M IS S IS S IP P I

N O . 2 0 1 6 -K A -0 1 2 9 5 -C O A

D A VID B R E T T M ID D L E T O N A /K /A D A VID B

. M ID D L E T O N A /K

/A D A V ID M ID D L E T O N A P P E L L A N T

v

.

S T A T E O F M IS S IS S IP P I A P P E L L E E

D A T E O F JU D G M E N T : 0 8 /2 6 /2 0 1 6

T R IA L JU D G E : H O N

. L IN D A F . C O L E M A N
C O U R T F R O M WH IC H A P P E A L E D : C O A H O M A C O U N T Y C IR C U IT C O U R T
A T T O R N E Y F O R

A P P E L L A N T : M A R K K E V IN H O R A N
A T T O R N E Y F O R

A P P E L L E E : O F F IC E O F T H E A T T O R N E Y G E N E R A L

B Y : K A T Y T A Y L O R

G E R B E R

D I S T R IC T A T T O R

N E Y : B R E N D A F A Y M IT C H E L L

N A T U R E O F T H E C A S E : C R IM IN A L - F E L O N Y

D I S P O S IT IO N : A F F IR M E D - 0 1 /2 2 /2 0 1 9

M O T IO N F O R

R E H E A R IN G F IL E D : M A N D A T E IS S U E D :

B E F O R E G R IF F IS , C

. J ., B A R N E S A N D C A R L T O N , P .J J

.

B A R N E S
, P

. J ., F O R T H E C O U R T :

¶1

. D a v id B rett M id d leto n w a s co n v icted o f a g g rav ated assau lt b y a C o a h o m a C o u n ty

j u ry an d s en ten ced to ten y ears in th e cu sto d y o f th e M ississip p i D ep artm en t o f C o r rectio n s,

w i th f i v e y ears su sp en d ed a n d f iv e y ears o f p o st-release su p e rv isio n

. O n a p p eal, M id d leto n

claim s th e trial c o u rt erred in allo w in g a law

- en f o rcem e n t o f

f icer’s “d u ty tap e” to b e p lay ed

to th e j u ry

b ecau se th e tap e co n tain ed a racial slu r. A d d itio n ally

, h e arg u es h is m o tio n f o r

a d irected v e rd ict sh o u ld h av e b een g ran ted b e cau se th ere w as n o ev id en ce p resen ted t h at

th e actio n o f d riv in g a m o to r v eh i cle in a p ark in g lo t co n stitu ted a m ean s lik ely to p ro d u ce

serio u s b o d ily

in j u r y

. We f in d b o th issu es w ith o u t m erit an d af f irm

.S T A T E M E N T O F F A C T S

¶2

. O n th e af

tern o o n o f

F eb ru ary 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 , L a rry B ro w n , a f if ty

- six -y ear-o ld h o m eless

A f rican -A m erican m ale, w as stru ck b y a G M C S ierra p ick u p tru c k d riv en b y M id d leto n , a

w h ite m ale. T h e in cid en t o ccu rred in an em p t y p ark in g lo t in C lark sd ale, M ississip p i. T h e

p ark in g lo t w as in f

r o n t o f a v acan t b u ild in g t h a t w as p rev io u sly a g ro cery s to re. M id d leto n ,

a l o cal b u s in essm an an d realto r, leased c o m m ercial sp ace in th e E x ecu tiv e P laza, w h ich w as

acro ss th e street. D av e H o u sto n , w h o co u ld v iew th e p a rk in g lo t f ro m h is b a rb ersh o p acro ss

th e street, testif

ied t h at B ro w n h ad b een liv i n g o u tsid e th e en tran ce to th e v a can t b u ild i n g

f o r a t least a y ear. O n th e d ay o f th e in cid en t, H o u sto n w as c alled o u tsid e w h ile c u ttin g h air.

C e d r ic B etts, an o t h er b arb er, w as o u tsid e w i t h a cu sto m er an d n o ticed M id d leto n ’s tru ck

f o llo w in g B ro w n

. B e tts testif ied th e tru ck f

o llo w ed B r o w n f

ro m th e E x ecu t iv e P laza in to

th e em p ty p ark in g lo t

. M id d l eto n , w h o w as d riv in g t h e tru ck

, an d B ro w n w ere h av in g an

arg u m en t. B etts stated M i d d leto n w as s cream in g a t B ro w n , at o n e p o in t s ay in g “I’m g o n e

k ill y o u , n * * * * * .” B r o w n , m ean w h i le, w as c u rsin g b a ck at M id d leto n , w alk i n g aw ay f ro m

th e tru ck

. B etts testif

ied th at M id d leto n t h en rev v ed h i s tru ck ’s en g in e an d h i t B ro w n w ith

h is tru ck . B ro w n lay

o n th e g ro u n d , b u t th en g o t u p an d w a lk ed aw ay

.

¶3

. H o u s t o n a l s o t e s t i f i e d h e o b s e r v e d M i d d leto n an d B r o w n h av i n g a “v erb al

d isag reem en t.” H o u sto n t h en saw B ro w n o n t h e g ro u n d b u t d id n o t s e e w h at cau sed h im to

h it th e g r o u n d

. H o u sto n ran to c h eck o n h im

, an d M id d leto n cam e b y in h is tru ck an d ask ed

H o u s to n if B ro w n w as “o k ay .” H o u sto n th en called th e p o lice to o b tain m ed ical atten tio n

2f

o r B ro w n , b u t h e h ad lef

t th e scen e.

¶4

. D u r i n g t h e i n c i d e n t

, f i r e f i g h t e r s w ere t rain in g o u tsid e o f t h e C l ark sd ale F ir e

D e p a rtm e n t, w h i ch is acro ss th e street f r o m th e p ark in g lo t. C ap tain M a r v i n M cC ray

testif i ed th at h e h eard th e tru ck ’s en g in e rev v i n g an d a “lo u d b o o m ” o r “th u m p .” H e th en

saw B ro w n ly in g f

ace d o w n in f

r o n t o f M i d d leto n ’s tru ck in th e n earb y p a rk in g lo t. R ich a rd

T r o tter, an o t h er f

iref ig h ter, testif

ied h e saw a m a n w alk in g d o w n th e sid ew alk an d h eard an

en g in e rev v i n g in th e em

p ty p ark in g lo t. H e saw M id d leto n ’s tru ck an d th en h eard a “lo u d

b u m p ” th at s o u n d e d lik e a car accid en t. Wh en T r o tter lo o k ed b ack ag ain

, B r o w n w as ly i n g

f ace d o w n o n th e g ro u n d

. S e v er a l p e o p l e r a n to h elp B ro w n , b u t h e ig n o red th em an d

w a lk ed d o w n th e street, talk in g in co h eren tly

.

¶5

. O f f icer E d d ie E arl o f t h e C lark sd ale P o l ice D ep artm en t w as f irst o n th e scen e. H e

activ ated h is “d u ty tap e” 1 an d reco rd ed h is c o n v ersatio n w ith M id d leto n

. A t th e tim e,

M id d leto n w as n o t u n d er arrest an d w as v ery co o p erativ e, w a n tin g to tell O f f icer E arl h is

v ersio n o f th e ev e n ts. T h e tap e w as p lay ed f o r th e j u ry o v er th e d e f

e n s e’s o b j ectio n

. In it,

M id d leto n ex p lain e d th at h e m an ag ed th e E x e c u t i v e P laza f o r h is f ath er, w h o o w n ed th e

p ro p erty

. T h ey h ad h ad p rio r p ro b lem s w ith B ro w n , w h o w as h o m eless, b ein g o n th e

p ro p erty an d scarin g ten an ts. M id d leto n h ad a p a rk b en ch rem o v ed f ro m o u tsid e th e p laza

b ecau se B ro w n w o u ld l o iter th ere an d h arass ten an ts. B ro w n h ad also b een a rrested f o r th is

1 A t trial, O f

f icer E arl ex p lain ed th at a “d u ty tap e” is a t a p e r e c o rd in g o f th e in d iv id u als h e sp e ak s w ith an d th e statem e n ts th ey m ak e

.

3co n d u ct in th e p ast.

¶6

. O n th e tap e, M id d leto n ex p lain ed to O f f icer E a rl th at earlier i n t h e d a y , M id d leto n

h ad to ld B ro w n to leav e t h e p r o p erty

, b u t B r o w n cu rsed at h im

. M i d d l eto n b ecam e an g ry

.

T h e m en cu rsed b ack an d f o rth a t each o th er. M id d leto n ap o l o g etically ad m itted h e called

B r o w n a “n * * * * * ” b ecau se h e w a s “m ad as h e l l a t th at so n -o f

- a-b * * * * .” H e to ld O f

f icer

E a rl “th is h as b e en an o n g o in g th i n g f o r sev eral w eek s .” M i d d l eto n claim ed h e o n ly

in ten d ed to scare B ro w n w ith h is tru ck

, b u t in stead h e accid en tally “clip p ed h im w i t h th e

[ sid e] m irro r.” B ro w n f

e ll d o w n

. Wh en M id d leto n circled b ack aro u n d

, B ro w n w as g o n e.

B e cau se B ro w n g o t u p q u ick ly af ter b ein g h it, M id d leto n f elt B ro w n w as n o t in

j u red t o o

b ad ly . H e ad d ed th at if

h e really w an ted to h u rt B ro w n , h e “co u l d ’v e ru n h im slap o v er.”

¶7

. E v e n t h o u g h O f

f icer E arl in f

o r m ed M id d leto n h is o ral statem en t w a s r e c o r d e d

,

M id d leto n in sisted o n w ritin g a statem en t as w ell, w h ich read :

T h e g u y h as b e en o v er h ere b e f o r e a n d p o lice called o n h im

. I j u st r ecen t ly

to o k a b en ch f

ro m m y p ro p erty to try an d g et h im to sto p h a n g i n g o u t o v er h er e

. T o d ay h e w a s in [ th e] lo t b y [ th e] g a rb ag e can

. I t o l d h im [ to ] leav e [ an d ] h e started cu ssin g m e etc. I cu ssed h i m b ack

– said w o rd s I sh o u ld n ’t
h av e. H e w as stan d i n g i n [ th e] lo t [ an d I] to o k o u t to leav e p ast h im [ a n d ]
h o p ed to scare h im

. M y sid e v iew m irro r h i t h im

. H e f ell b u t g o t b a ck u p a n d
lef t.

T h e statem en t w as ad m itted in to ev id en ce o v er th e d ef en se’s o b j ectio n

.

¶8

. A t trial, M id d leto n testif ied in h i s o w n d e f

en s e

. O n F e b ru ary 1 1

, h e saw B ro w n

ru m m a g in g th r o u g h th e g arb ag e d u m p ster o f th e E x ecu tiv e P l aza p ark in g l o t

. M id d leto n ’s

f ath e r req u ested h im t o ask B r o w n to leav e b ecau se o f th e p ro b lem s in th e p ast. M id d leto n

4w a lk ed o u tsid e, a sk e d B r o w n t o leav e, an d w arn ed B r o w n h e w o u ld call th e p o lice.

M id d leto n th en retu rn ed to h is o f f ice. L ater, a s h e w as leav in g h is o f f i ce to atten d an

ap p raisal, M id d l eto n saw B ro w n b e s i d e th e b u ild in g o n th e sid ew alk

. M i d d leto n ro l led

d o w n th e w i n d o w t o h i s tru ck an d y elled at B r o w n to leav e. In resp o n se, B ro w n started

cu ssin g an d th reaten in g M id d l eto n

. U n s u re w h at to d o , M i d d l eto n d ecid ed to f o l lo w B ro w n

in h is tru ck

, t ry i n g to “p u sh h i m a w ay .” B ro w n cro ssed th e street a n d w alk e d to th e o ld

g ro cery -sto re p ark in g lo t

. M id d leto n p ark ed h is v eh icle t o “calm d o w n .” H e claim ed to h it

th e g as b ef

o re realizin g th e t ru ck w as in p ark

, accid en t ally rev v in g th e en g in e. P u ttin g th e

tru ck in d riv e, M id d leto n saw B ro w n w a s i n f r o n t o f h im an d w en t to th e rig h t o f h i m

.

M id d leto n claim s h e accid en tally h it B r o w n w ith h is tru ck ’s s id e m irro r. F r o m w h a t h e

co u ld tell, th e sid e-v iew m irro r w as th e o n ly p art o f th e tru ck th at to u ch ed B ro w n

. A s so o n

as it h ap p en ed , M id d leto n tu rn ed aro u n d to ch eck o n B ro w n , b u t h e w as g o n e.

¶9

. B r o w n b rief

ly testif ied , af f irm in g th at h e w a s h o m eless an d sleep in g in f ro n t o f th e

f o rm er g ro cery

sto re. H e stated h e w as “ru n o v e r b y a w h i te m an in a w h ite p ick u p tru ck ”

f o r n o reaso n

. T h e n e x t d a y , h e said th e sh e rif f t o o k h im to th e h o s p ital. O f f i cer E arl

testif i ed th at af ter th e accid en t, h e h ad o b serv ed m in o r cu ts an d b ru ises o n B ro w n ’s f ace an d

so m e b lo o d

.

A N A L Y S IS

I. A d m issio n o f th e D u ty T a p e

¶1 0

. M id d let o n a r g u es h e w as p rej u d iced b y th e ad m issio n o f O f f icer E arl’s d u ty

tap e,

5w h ich w as p lay ed to th e j u ry

. H e claim s h is v erb al statem e n t w a s cu m u lativ e to h is w ritten

statem en t an d h ad n o p r o b ativ e v a lu e. In stead

, h e arg u e s th e racially c h arg ed rem ark s in th e

tap e in f lam e d t h e j u ro rs, cau sin g an u n f air trial. T h is C o u rt r ev iew s th e trial co u rt’s

ad m issio n o r ex clu sio n o f ev i d en c e f o r ab u se o f d iscretio n

. S to n e v. S ta te

, 9 4 S o

. 3 d 1 0 7 8

,

1 0 8 1 (¶9 ) (M iss. 2 0 1 2 )

.

¶1 1

. D u rin g O f

f icer E a rl’s d irect ex a m i n a t i o n , d e f e n s e c o u n s e l o b

j e c t ed w h en th e

p ro secu t o r ask ed w h at M id d leto n t o l d h i m

. C o u n sel arg u e d th is in f o rm atio n w as

in ad m issib le b ecau se a t th a t p o in t M id d leto n h ad n o t b een g iv e n a M ira n d a 2 w arn i n g

in f o rm in g h im

th at an y statem en ts h e m ad e c o u ld b e u sed ag ain st h im

. O u tsid e t h e j u ry ’s

p resen ce, d ef

en se co u n sel m o v ed to su p p ress M i d d l eto n ’s s tatem en ts to th e o f f icer o n th e

scen e, a l l o f w h i ch w ere reco rd ed o n th e d u ty tap e. T h e p ro s ecu to r s o u g h t to s h o w th e trial

co u rt th at th e statem en t s w ere v o lu n tary b y q u estio n in g O f f icer E a r l. T h e tr i a l c o u rt

d eterm in ed th at th e statem en ts w ere n o t m ad e d u rin g a cu sto d ial in terro g atio n ; so M id d leto n

w a s n o t en t itled to a M

ira n d a w arn in g

. T h e m o tio n to su p p ress w as d en ied

. O v er a

ren ew ed o b

j ecti o n f ro m th e d ef

en se, th e d u ty tap e w a s ad m i tted i n to ev id en ce an d p lay ed

f o r th e j u r y

.

¶1 2

. N o w , M id d leto n arg u es th at th e trial co u rt a b u sed its d iscretio n in allo w in g th e h ig h ly

p rej u d icial d u t y t a p e i n to ev id e n ce b ecau se th e trial co u rt f ailed to p erf

o rm th e req u isite

b alan cin g test u n d er M ississip p i R u le o f E v id en ce 4 0 3

, w h i ch is “ an u l tim ate f i lter th ro u g h

2 M ira n d a v. A rizo n a , 3 8 4 U

. S . 4 3 6 (1 9 6 6 ).

6w h ich all o th erw i se ad m issib le ev id en ce m u s t p ass.” Weld

e v. S t a t e , 3 S o

. 3 d 1 1 3

, 1 1 7 (¶1 5 )

(M iss. 2 0 0 9 ) (q u o tin g C

ra w fo rd v

. S ta te

, 7 5 4 S o

. 2 d 1 2 1 1

, 1 2 2 0 (¶2 3 ) (M iss. 2 0 0 0 )). T h e

test is w h eth er “th e p ro b a tiv e v alu e o f th e ev id en ce

. . . o u tw eig h [ s] t h e p r ej u d i cial ef f ect.”

Id

. H o w ev e r, d ef

en se c o u n s el’s o b

j ectio n at trial w as d if

f e ren t: th at th e d u t y

tap e sh o u ld

h av e b een ex clu d ed b ecau s e M id d leto n h ad n o t b een ad v ised o f h is M ira n d a rig h ts p rio r to

g iv in g an y

statem en ts.

¶1 3

. It i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h at “[ o ] n e m ay n o t raise an issu e o n ap p eal w h ich w as n o t

raised in th e trial c o u rt.” O sb o rn e v. S ta t e , 9 4 2 S o

. 2 d 1 9 3

, 2 0 0 ( ¶2 7 ) (M iss. C t

. A p p

. 2 0 0 6 ).

H e re, th is issu e is w aiv ed b ecau s e it w as n o t raised b ef o re t h e trial co u r

t. 3 R eg ard less o f th e

w a iv er, th e issu e is w ith o u t m erit. T h e tap e h a d p r o b ativ e v alu e as to M id d leto n ’s m o t iv e

an d in t en t. O n th e tap e, w h ile in itially ap o lo g etic ab o u t u sin g a racial slu r ag a i n st B ro w n ,

as h e reco u n ted th e in cid en t t o O f f icer E arl, M id d leto n b e cam e m o re ag itated an d an g ry

.

T h e j u ry co u ld h av e d ed u c ed f ro m M id d l eto n ’s to n e o f v o i ce th at h e w as an g ry an d

f ru s t r a t e d en o u g h t o h it o r clip B ro w n w ith h is v eh icle in ten tio n ally

. T h e t ap e w as m o re

p ro b ativ e o f M id d leto n ’s state o f m in d at th e tim e o f th e accid en t th an th e less d e t a i l e d

w r itten statem en t. F o r ex am p le, th e w r i t t e n statem en t ex clu d es ref e r en ces to w an tin g to

“k ill” B ro w n

.

¶1 4

. F u rth er, M id d leto n n ev er req u ested a R u le 4 0 3 b alan cin g test, an d it i s h is d u ty to d o

3 M id d leto n d i d r a i s e th is arg u m en t in h is p o st-trial m o t io n f o r a j u d g m en t

n o tw ith stan d in g th e v e rd ict (JN O V ), o r in th e altern ativ e, a n e w t rial, b u t n o t at th e tim e o f
h is m o t io n to su p p ress d u rin g th e trial.

7so

. “[ T ] h e o n u s [ is] o n th e p arties” to req u est th e t rial co u rt p erf o r m th e test “w i th reg a rd

to relev a n t ev id e n ce w h ich m ay o th erw ise b e ex c l u d e d

. . . .” M cL a u rin v. S ta te

, 3 1 S o

. 3 d

1 2 6 3 , 1 2 7 0 (¶3 1 ) (M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 1 0 ). A cco rd in g ly , th is issu e is w ith o u t m erit.

II. S u f

f icien cy o f

th e E v id en ce

¶1 5

. N e x t, M id d leto n arg u es th e trial co u rt erred in d en y in g h is m o t i o n f o r a d irected

v erd ict b ecau s e th e S t ate p resen ted n o ev id en ce th at M id d leto n ’s p ick u p tru ck w as a d ead ly

w e a p o n , o r w as u sed a s a m ean s lik ely to p ro d u ce d e ath o r serio u s b o d ily h arm , o r t h at

M id d leto n in ten d ed to cau se an y in j u ry

.

¶1 6

. “T h e su f

f i cien cy o f th e ev id en ce is c h a llen g ed w i th a m o tio n f o r a d irected v erd ict,

a r eq u est f

o r a p e rem

p to ry in s t ru ctio n , o r a m o t io n f o r j u d g m en t n o tw ith stan d in g th e v erd ict

(JN O V ).” P a ce v. S ta t e , 2 4 2 S o

. 3 d 1 0 7

, 1 1 7 ( ¶ 2 4 ) ( M iss. 2 0 1 8 ). “ O n rev iew o f th e

su f f icien cy o f th e e v id en ce, th [ e rev iew in g co u rt] co n s id ers t h e trial co u rt’s ru lin g at th e last

tim e th e s u f

f icien cy o f t h e ev id en ce w as ch allen g e d .” Wa rren v. S ta te

, 1 8 7 S o

. 3 d 6 1 6

, 6 2 7

(¶2 9 ) ( M iss. 2 0 1 6 ). “[ T ] h e relev an t q u estio n is w h e th er, af ter v iew in g th e ev id en ce in th e

lig h t m o st f

av o rab le to th e p ro secu tio n , a n y ra t i o n al trier o f f act c o u ld h av e f

o u n d th e

essen tial elem en t s o f th e c rim e b ey o n d a reaso n a b l e d o u b t.” Id

. at (¶ 3 0 )

. T h e rev iew i n g

co u rt “m u st accep t a s tru e all ev id en ce co n sisten t w ith

. . . g u ilt.” R o b i n so n v. S ta te

, 9 4 0 S o

.

2 d 2 3 5 , 2 4 0 (¶1 3 ) (M iss. 2 0 0 6 )

.

¶1 7

. A t th e co n clu sio n o f t h e S t ate’s case-in -ch ief

, d ef en se co u n sel m o v ed f

o r a d irected

v erd ict o n th e c h arg e o f ag g r av ated assau lt. U n d er M ississip p i C o d e A n n o tated sectio n 9 7

-

83 -7 (2 )(a)(ii) (R ev

. 2 0 1 4 )

, a p erso n is g u ilty o f a g g rav ated assau l t w h en h e o r sh e “attem p ts

t o cau se o r p u rp o sely o r k n o w in g ly cau ses b o d ily in j u ry to an o t h e r w ith a d ead ly w e a p o n

o r o t h er m ean s lik ely to p ro d u ce d eath o r serio u s b o d ily h arm .” M id d l eto n arg u es th at “o n

its f ace,” a m o t o r v eh icle is n o t a d an g ero u s w e ap o n o r m ean s to p ro d u c e serio u s b o d ily

h arm , b u t m erely a m o d e f o r t ran sp o rtat i o n

. H e claim s th e S tate d id n o t s h o w th e p ick u p

tru ck w as u s e d w i t h th e in ten t to h arm M id d leto n

. M o reo v er, in h i s b rief M id d leto n

in accu rately states th at th e o n ly a ctu al w itn esses w h o saw t h e c o llisio n w ere h i ms e l f a n d

B r o w n

.

¶1 8

. M id d leto n ’s arg u m en t is w ith o u t me r i t. A f ter its case-in ch i ef

, th e S tate p ro v id ed

s u f f i c i e n t ev id en ce f

o r th e trial co u rt to d en y M id d leto n ’s d irected v erd ict. U n d er th e

su f f icien cy o f ev i d en c e stan d ard

, a ll f av o rab le in f

eren ces su p p o rtin g g u ilt m u s t b e accep ted

as tru e. R o b in so n , 9 4 0 S o

. 2 d at 2 4 0 (¶1 3 )

. Wh ile “o n its f ace” a v eh i c l e m ay n o t b e a

d ead ly w eap o n , th is C o u rt h as h e ld th at “[ t] h ere can b e n o d o u b t th at a m o to r v eh icle u sed

f o r th e p u rp o s e o f in ten tio n ally ru n n i n g o v e r a n o th er p erso n is a d ead ly w e a p o n w ith in th e

co n tem p latio n o f th is S tate’s a g g rav ated assau lt statu te.” G en r y v

. S t a te

, 7 6 7 S o

. 2 d 3 0 2

,

3 1 2 (¶3 6 ) (M iss. C t. A p p

. 2 0 0 0 ). T h e S tate elicited su f f icien t ev id en ce th at M id d leto n u sed

h is tru ck w ith th e p u rp o se an d in ten t o f h arm i n g B ro w n

. M id d leto n a d m itted

, an d w itn ess

testim o n y co rro b o rated

, h i s an g e r an d f r u stratio n to w ard B ro w n f o r l o iterin g in th e p ark i n g

lo t a n d s carin g ten a n ts, at o n e p o in t callin g B ro w n a “ so n

- o f -a-b * * * * ” o n t h e d u ty tap e.

F ro m th e b a r b er sh o p , H o u sto n saw th e tw o m en h av in g a v erb al d isag reem en t b ef o re

9B r o w n w as h it. B a rb er B etts also h eard M id d leto n an d B ro w n scream in g an d c u rsin g at o n e

an o th er, w ith M id d leto n at o n e p o in t tellin g B ro w n , “I’m g o n e k ill y o u , n * * * * * .” C o n trary

to M id d leto n ’s assertio n th at th ere w ere n o ey ew itn e sses to th e co llisio n , B etts th en saw

M id d let o n r ev h is w h ite tru ck ’s en g in e an d h it B r o w n

. A n “ad v an c e d rate o f s p eed ,” as

M id d leto n co n ten d s, w as n o t n ecessary to co n v ert a m u ltip le-to n p ick u p tru c k in to a d ead ly

w e ap o n o r in stru m en t o f

h arm

.

¶1 9

. V i ew in g th e ev id e n ce in th e lig h t m o st f av o rab le to th e p ro secu tio n , a ratio n al trier

o f f act co u ld f

in d th e S tate p resen ted th e essen tial elem en ts o f a g g rav ated assau lt b ey o n d a

reaso n ab le d o u b t. A cco r d in g ly

, w e af f irm M id d leto n ’s co n v ictio n an d s en ten ce.

¶2 0

. A F F IR M E D

.

G R IF F I S
, C

. J

. , C A R L T O N
, P .J
., W IL S O N
, G R E E N L E E
, W E S T B R O O K S

A N D T IN D E L L
, J J
., C O N C U R

. M cD O N A L D
, L A W R E N C E A N D M cC A R T Y
, J J
., N O T P A R T IC I P A T IN G

.

1 0