Opinion ID: 2091132
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Next, Ferrell contends the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt all elements of the crimes charged. He concedes that he was in Bond's home, sold certain items belonging to Bond and signed Bond's name on a sales receipt. However, Ferrell maintains his innocence because he claims he did not have the requisite criminal intent to commit the crimes of burglary, theft and forgery. Specifically, he alleges Bond gave him permission to stay at the house and use Bond's guaranteed life card for identification purposes to assist him in selling Bond's video-cassette recorder. Bond testified he did not give Ferrell permission to reside in the house, sell any of the goods, or sign his name. We have held that the uncorroborated testimony of one witness is sufficient to convict, even if the witness in question is the victim. Henley v. State (1988), Ind., 522 N.E.2d 376, 378. Regarding his burglary conviction, Ferrell specifically challenges the sufficiency of evidence regarding the breaking itself. Breaking is proved by showing that even slight force was used to gain unauthorized entry including opening an unlocked door. Henley, 522 N.E.2d at 379. The State introduced evidence that a padlock on the back door to the house had been broken and the back door had fresh pry marks on it when the police were summoned to the house on September 1, 1987. Ferrell argues the State presented no physical evidence that he was the one who broke the padlock and, furthermore, the used furniture dealer who entered through the back door testified he noticed nothing unusual about it. Ferrell also notes Bond's house alarm did not go off when he allegedly broke into the house. However, in his statement to police made shortly after his arrest, Ferrell admitted he gained entry to the house by pushing in the back door. At trial, Ferrell changed his story, stating instead that he entered the house through a side door on the night of August 30, 1987, and spent the next few days in the house. Ferrell testified he used a key that Bond had made for him and turned off the house alarm using the alarm's combination which Bond also gave him. Whether he gained entry to the house by unlocking the side door or by pushing in the back door, Ferrell used sufficient force to constitute a breaking. Henley, supra . The question then becomes whether Ferrell's entry was authorized. Ferrell maintains he had permission to be in the house. On direct examination, Ferrell testified he did not believe Bond meant it when he told him to leave the house on August 29, 1987, because Bond was slightly high at the time. However, on cross-examination, Ferrell admitted he was supposed to be out of the house by Saturday, August 29, 1987, and did not have permission to be in the house on the day he was arrested, Tuesday, September 1, 1987. Regardless of whether Bond allowed Ferrell to use the house earlier in the week, as Ferrell contends, there is sufficient evidence to find that his entry on or about August 30th was unauthorized. We find there was sufficient evidence to sustain Ferrell's convictions.