Opinion ID: 1712849
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: In this claim, Brooks argues that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support a conviction for first-degree murder. In so arguing, Brooks asserts that the trial court erred in denying a motion for judgment of acquittal presented by his trial counsel at the close of the State's case and renewed at the close of all the evidence. The State responds, however, that the motions as presented by trial counsel were inadequate to preserve a sufficiency of the evidence claim for appellate review. Under the specific factual circumstances of this case, we agree with the State. At the close of the State's case during the guilt phase of the trial below, trial counsel for Brooks moved for a judgment of acquittal on his client's behalf. Specifically, his counsel stated, I think we may technically have to offer our motions for directed judgment of acquittal, which I do without any further argument. Immediately thereafter, trial counsel for Foster Brown moved for judgment of acquittal on his client's behalf. Unlike the purely technical and superficial motion voiced on behalf of Brooks, Brown's counsel made specific arguments challenging the State's evidentiary proof of both first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree felony murder, with the possible underlying felonies of robbery and trafficking in cocaine. After noting that the alternative theories of attempted robbery or attempted trafficking in cocaine could also support a first-degree felony murder conviction, the trial court denied both motions. In a similar manner, the trial court denied all renewed defense motions for judgment of acquittal made after the defendants rested their cases without presenting any evidence. [18] Under these factual circumstances, we conclude that the limited, boilerplate motions for judgment of acquittal which were of a technical and pro-forma nature as voiced by counsel for Brooks were totally inadequate to preserve a sufficiency of the evidence claim for appellate review. In so concluding, we are mindful that the trial court had previously permitted counsel for Brooks and Brown to adopt each others objections during trial, but such permission did not address or extend to substantive motions. Additionally, at the close of the State's case, counsel for Brooks merely adopted his earlier boilerplate motion. Accordingly, we find that the purely technical and pro-forma boilerplate motions for judgment of acquittal offered by Brooks were inadequate to preserve a sufficiency of the evidence claim for appellate review. See, e.g., Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.380(b) (stating, in pertinent part, that a motion for judgment of acquittal must fully set forth the grounds on which it is based); Woods v. State, 733 So.2d 980, 984-85 (Fla.1999); Archer v. State, 613 So.2d 446, 448 (Fla. 1993). Nevertheless, we will proceed to make an independent determination of whether the evidence presented at trial was sufficient to support Brooks' first-degree murder conviction. See, e.g., § 921.141(4), Fla. Stat. (1999); Fla. R.App. P. 9.140(h); Brown v. State, 721 So.2d 274, 277 (Fla.1998). Brooks argues that the evidence was insufficient to support his first-degree murder conviction on either a theory of premeditation or felony murder with robbery, attempted robbery, trafficking in cocaine, or attempted trafficking in cocaine as the possible underlying felonies. We need not address his arguments regarding premeditation [19] or trafficking in cocaine, [20] however, because, in our view, there is competent, substantial evidence in the record to support a jury verdict finding Brooks guilty of first-degree felony murder with robbery, attempted robbery, or attempted trafficking in cocaine as the possible underlying felonies. See Brown v. State, 644 So.2d 52, 53 (Fla.1994) (Brown first claims that insufficient evidence was adduced showing premeditation. We need not reach this issue, however, because there was ample evidence supporting first-degree murder under a felony-murder theory....). Robbery is defined as the taking of money or other property which may be the subject of larceny from the person or custody of another, with the intent to either permanently or temporarily deprive the person or the owner of the money or other property, when in the course of the taking there is the use of force, violence, assault, or putting in fear. § 812.13, Fla. Stat. (1995). In the present case, Michael Johnson testified that he did not receive money from either Brooks or Brown for the purchase of the crack cocaine. He further testified that when he started to count the rocks out, Brooks drew a weapon and fired at Jenkins when Jenkins questioned whether there was a problem. Moreover, Johnson testified that the sandwich bag containing the crack cocaine was on the trunk of his Impala when he began to run away once the shooting started, and he never saw the sandwich bag containing the rocks again. Finally, Lashan Mahone testified that (1) she exited the Impala immediately after the shooting stopped and Brooks and Brown had left; (2) she stopped, looked around, and had an opportunity to observe both the trunk of the Impala and the surrounding areas; and (3) as she surveyed the area, she did not see anyone else near the Impala, nor did she see any drugs on either the trunk or sides of that vehicle. We find that this direct and circumstantial evidence presented by the State amounts to competent, substantial evidence supporting a jury verdict finding Brooks guilty of first-degree felony murder with robbery as the underlying predicate offense. [21] Cf. Mungin, 689 So.2d at 1029 (finding circumstantial evidence supported first-degree felony murder conviction for robbery or attempted robbery where evidence showed that defendant entered the store carrying a gun, money was missing from the store, money from the cash box was gone, someone tried to open cash register without knowing how, and defendant left the store carrying a paper bag). We also conclude that there is competent, substantial evidence to support a jury verdict finding Brooks guilty of first-degree felony murder with attempted robbery as the underlying predicate offense. To prove attempted robbery, the State was required to present evidence establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Brooks intended to commit a robbery and committed an overt act toward completion of that offense. See § 777.04(1), Fla. Stat. (1995). Even if we accepted the theory asserted by Brooks that someone other than Brooks or Brown removed the sandwich bag containing the crack cocaine after the shooting occurred, [22] there is competent, substantial evidence showing that Brooks intended to commit a robbery and made an overt act directed toward the completion of that crime. Finally, in our view, there is competent, substantial evidence to support a jury verdict finding Brooks guilty of first-degree felony murder with attempted trafficking in 28 or more grams, but less than 150 kilograms, of cocaine or a mix of cocaine, as the underlying offense. To establish attempted trafficking in cocaine, the State was required to present evidence establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Brooks intended to commit the offense and committed an overt act toward its completion. See § 777.04(1), Fla. Stat. (1995). The State was not required to prove that the substance involved was actually cocaine or a mixture thereof. See, e.g., Tibbetts v. State, 583 So.2d 809, 810 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991); Louissaint v. State, 576 So.2d 316, 317 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990). In accord with the reasoning of both Kocol v. State, 546 So.2d 1159 (Fla. 5th DCA 1989), and Spera v. State, 656 So.2d 550 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995), there is competent, substantial evidence in this case to support a jury verdict finding Brooks guilty of first-degree felony murder with attempted trafficking in cocaine as the underlying predicate offense. In Kocol, the defendant agreed to supply his employee with an ounce of cocaine (which is slightly greater than 28 grams) for sale to a third party at a fixed price. See 546 So.2d at 1159. The employee met with the third party, collected $1300 from him, and delivered the money to the defendant. See id. at 1160. In return, the defendant gave the cocaine to the employee for delivery to the third party. See id. Based on this transaction, the defendant was charged and convicted of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, sale of cocaine, and possession of cocaine. [23] See id. at 1159. On appeal, the defendant asserted that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction on the conspiracy to traffic count because the cocaine that was sold actually weighed 27.58 grams, slightly less than the requisite trafficking amount of 28 grams. See id. at 1160. In upholding the conspiracy to traffic conviction, the Fifth District stated, The fact that the cocaine ultimately delivered was short of an ounce by less than a gram does not refute the intent of the parties at the time of the initial agreement. Id. This conclusion in Kocol was followed by the Second District in Spera, which involved similar facts. See 656 So.2d at 552. Brooks relies on the First District's decision in Williams v. State, 592 So.2d 737 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992), to support his contention that the evidence in this case was insufficient to find him guilty of attempted trafficking in cocaine. In Williams, the First District distinguished Kocol because the defendant in Williams, unlike the defendant in Kocol, had not reached an agreement on a specific amount of cocaine for the transaction. See id. at 739. Instead, the only agreement evidenced in Williams was that the defendant was willing to do a big deal. See id. Under those circumstances, the court concluded that the evidence was insufficient to permit the jury to consider the charge of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. See id.; see also Spivey v. State, 731 So.2d 61, 62 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999); Rodriguez v. State, 719 So.2d 1215, 1217 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998). After reviewing the evidence presented in this case, it appears that this case is more similar to the situations in Kocol and Spera than it is to the situations in Williams, Spivey, or Rodriguez. Specifically, in this case, Michael Johnson testified that jugglers, or rocks of crack cocaine, are traded in one-gram increments. Further, Jacqueline Thompson testified that Brooks and Brown were seeking to buy jugglers of crack cocaine. Finally, both Johnson and Thompson testified that Brooks and Brown sought fifty rocks but ultimately specifically expressed that they wished to obtain thirty rocks of crack cocaine. We find that this evidence was sufficient to establish that Brooks intended to obtain a specific amount of crack cocaine28 or more gramsthat was above the requisite amount to prove trafficking, [24] and we therefore determine that there is competent, substantial evidence to support a jury verdict finding Brooks guilty of first-degree felony murder with attempted trafficking in cocaine as the underlying offense.