Opinion ID: 1057701
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: The Especially Aggravated Robbery Conviction

Text: Finally, Mr. Banks contends that the State presented insufficient evidence to prove that he committed an especially aggravated robbery. Specifically, he takes issue with the sufficiency of the evidence that the Jeep was stolen or that the shooting of Mr. Atilebawi was related to robbery. Mr. Banks asserts that the robbery and the shooting were not connected. The State responds that the record contains ample evidence to support Mr. Banks's conviction for the especially aggravated robbery of Mr. Atilebawi. The Court of Criminal Appeals concluded that the evidence presented was sufficient for a reasonable jury to conclude that the elements of especially aggravated robbery had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We agree. Robbery is the intentional or knowing theft of property from the person of another by violence or putting the person in fear. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-401(a). Especially aggravated robbery is a robbery that is (1) [a]ccomplished with a deadly weapon; and (2)[w]here the victim suffers serious bodily injury. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-403(a). With regard to evidence of the Jeep belonging to Mr. Atilebawi, Mr. Atilebawi testified that Mr. Banks stole his Jeep. Mr. Banks admitted in both of his confessions to stealing Mr. Atilebawi's Jeep, and a neighbor of Mr. Banks testified that she had never seen him in a red Jeep until the morning after the shootings. Mr. Banks came to Mr. Atilebawi's house with a loaded semi-automatic pistol. He shot Mr. Atilebawi with that pistol four times. As a result, part of Mr. Atilebawi's brain had to be removed, and he spent a month in the hospital. Mr. Atilebawi suffered permanent cognitive impairments. This shooting of Mr. Atilebawi was closely connected in time, place, and continuity of action with the robbery. Viewing the facts in the light most favorable to the State, a reasonable jury could find beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Banks committed especially aggravated robbery.