Title: Moore v. State
Citation: 403 N.E.2d 335
Docket Number: 179S15
State: Indiana
Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court
Date: April 30, 1980

403 N.E.2d 335 (1980)
Roger MOORE, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Indiana, Appellee.
No. 179S15.

Supreme Court of Indiana.
April 30, 1980.
Daniel L. Toomey, Toomey &amp; Woloshansky, Merrillville, for appellant.
Theodore L. Sendak, Atty. Gen., Jeffrey K. Baldwin, Deputy Atty. Gen., Indianapolis, for appellee.
GIVAN, Chief Justice.
Appellant was convicted of second degree murder by jury. During arguments on a motion to correct errors, the trial judge stated that he believed the evidence to be "sketchy", and that he was not convinced of the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The trial judge stated that he was unsure of the proper standard of review when ruling on a sufficiency of the evidence issue. The judge went on to say:
It is the decision of this Court to remand this case to the trial judge for the purpose of a determination as to the sufficiency of the evidence.
The law in this state is conflicting on the trial court's authority to weigh evidence and judge credibility of witnesses when presented with a sufficiency of the evidence question. Article 1, § 19, of the Indiana Constitution vests the authority to determine the law and the facts in a criminal case with the jury. It has been held that the trial court should not weigh evidence, as that would be invading the province of the jury. See Dean v. State, (1978) Ind. App., 377 N.E.2d 420. This Court has, however, stated that Article 7, § 1, of the Indiana Constitution, which vests judicial power in the court, should be invoked "to prevent a travesty on justice." Holloway v. State, (1976) Ind., 352 N.E.2d 523, 529, quoting Parker v. State, (1894) 136 Ind. 284, 35 N.E. 1105.
In Lowery v. State, (1925) 196 Ind. 316, 322, 148 N.E. 197, this Court stated:
This approach was expanded in Thompson v. State, (1945) 224 Ind. 290, 292, 66 N.E.2d 597, where this Court stated:
See also Barry v. State, (1918) 187 Ind. 49, 118 N.E. 309; Partlow v. State, (1929) 201 Ind. 207, 166 N.E. 651; Deal v. State, (1894) 140 Ind. 354, 39 N.E. 930.
Trial Rule 59(I)(7) (Rules of Trial Procedure) reads:
Trial Rule 59(I)(7) is controlling through CR 16, which states in part:
The trial judge and jury are similarly situated. The judge is exposed to the testimony and demeanor of witnesses. The trial court is required by T.R. 59(I)(7) to make special findings of fact upon each material issue or element of the claim or defense upon which a new trial is granted when the verdict is not in accord with the evidence. The finding must set forth the "supporting and opposing evidence to each issue upon which a new trial is granted."
We, therefore, hold that a trial judge, in ruling upon a motion to correct errors, has the duty to examine the evidence to ascertain whether or not there is evidence beyond a reasonable doubt to support the verdict of the jury.
We, therefore, remand this case to the trial court with instructions to rule on the appellant's motion to correct errors consistent *337 with the provisions of Trial Rule 59(I)(7).
DeBRULER, HUNTER, PIVARNIK and PRENTICE, JJ., concur.