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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF IDAHO

Docket No. 42251

STATE OF IDAHO,

Plaintiff-Respondent,

v.

CLIFFORD DANIEL SINGER,

Defendant-Appellant.

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2015 Unpublished Opinion No. 641

Filed: September 23, 2015

Stephen W. Kenyon, Clerk

THIS IS AN UNPUBLISHED

OPINION AND SHALL NOT

BE CITED AS AUTHORITY

Appeal from the District Court of the First Judicial District, State of Idaho, 

Kootenai County. Hon. Fred M. Gibler, District Judge.

Judgment of conviction, affirmed.

Sara B. Thomas, State Appellate Public Defender; Eric D. Fredericksen, Deputy 

Appellate Public Defender, Boise, for appellant. 

Hon. Lawrence G. Wasden, Attorney General; Jessica M. Lorello, Deputy 

Attorney General, Boise, for respondent. 

________________________________________________

HUSKEY, Judge

Clifford Daniel Singer appeals from the district court’s judgment of conviction. Singer 

claims there was insufficient evidence for the jury to convict him of burglary. We affirm.

I.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

After renting a room for almost a month, Singer decided to move on short notice. He 

contacted his landlord, seeking return of his $250 deposit. When his landlord did not return the 

deposit, Singer took some of the landlord’s personal property from the landlord’s residence. 

When the landlord discovered that some of his property was missing, he called the police. An 

officer responded to the call, located Singer, and recovered the property. A jury found Singer 

guilty of burglary. He timely appeals.
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II.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

Appellate review of the sufficiency of the evidence is limited in scope. A finding of guilt 

will not be overturned on appeal where there is substantial evidence upon which a reasonable 

trier of fact could have found that the prosecution sustained its burden of proving the essential 

elements of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Herrera-Brito, 131 Idaho 383, 385, 957 

P.2d 1099, 1101 (Ct. App. 1998); State v. Knutson, 121 Idaho 101, 104, 822 P.2d 998, 1001 (Ct. 

App. 1991). We will not substitute our view for that of the trier of fact as to the credibility of the 

witnesses, the weight to be given to the testimony, and the reasonable inferences to be drawn 

from the evidence. Knutson, 121 Idaho at 104, 822 P.2d at 1001; State v. Decker, 108 Idaho 683, 

684, 701 P.2d 303, 304 (Ct. App. 1985). Moreover, we will consider the evidence in the light 

most favorable to the prosecution. Herrera-Brito, 131 Idaho at 385, 957 P.2d at 1101; Knutson, 

121 Idaho at 104, 822 P.2d at 1001. 

III.

ANALYSIS

Singer argues that the evidence was insufficient in two respects. First, the evidence was 

insufficient to show that Singer intended to permanently deprive the landlord of his property.

Second, the evidence was insufficient to show that Singer intended to commit theft when he 

entered the landlord’s residence. Singer’s arguments fail.

Every person who enters any house, room, or apartment with the intent to commit any 

theft, is guilty of burglary. Idaho Code (I.C.) § 18-1401. A person commits theft when, with 

intent to deprive another of property or to appropriate the same to himself, he wrongfully takes, 

obtains, or withholds such property from an owner thereof. I.C. § 18-2403. To deprive another 

of property means to withhold it permanently or for so extended a period or under such 

circumstances that the major portion of its economic value or benefit is lost to him. I.C. § 18-

2402(3)(a).

The intent of the accused is a question of fact for the jury to determine. State v. Bolton, 

119 Idaho 846, 851, 810 P.2d 1132, 1137 (Ct. App. 1991). Direct evidence as to intent is not 

required. State v. Bronson, 112 Idaho 367, 369, 732 P.2d 336, 338 (Ct. App. 1987). A jury may 

infer intent from the commission of acts and the surrounding circumstances. State v. Nastoff, 

124 Idaho 667, 671, 862 P.2d 1089, 1093 (Ct. App. 1993).
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Singer’s first argument fails because, considering the evidence in the light most favorable 

to the prosecution, a jury could have inferred that Singer intended to permanently deprive the 

landlord of his property. Singer cites no case law to support his contention that he did not intend 

to permanently deprive the landlord of his property because he took it as collateral. A party 

waives an issue on appeal if either authority or argument is lacking. State v. Zichko, 129 Idaho 

259, 263, 923 P.2d 966, 970 (1996). Additionally, the jury is not obligated to accept Singer’s 

theory of the case. Based on the commission of the acts and the surrounding circumstances,

there is substantial evidence upon which a reasonable juror could have found intent to 

permanently deprive beyond a reasonable doubt.

Singer’s second argument fails for the same reason. That Singer expressed his intent 

after entering the residence does not mean the jury must conclude that intent was not formed 

prior to his entry. Additionally, the prosecution presented evidence that Singer entered and 

exited the apartment several times, giving Singer several opportunities to form the intent prior to 

entering the residence. Therefore, there was substantial evidence upon which a juror could have 

found intent to commit theft prior to entering the apartment beyond a reasonable doubt.

IV.

CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, we affirm the district court’s judgment of conviction. 

Chief Judge MELANSON and Judge GUTIERREZ CONCUR.