Opinion ID: 2508126
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Did Sufficient Evidence Support the Defendant's Conviction of Premeditated First-degree Murder?

Text: Finally, the defendant argues the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction of premeditated first-degree murder. According to the defendant, the evidence established that a spontaneous fight occurred between the four men and that, after the victim was brought back into the house, the defendant withdrew from the fight. The defendant contends there was no evidence of premeditation on his part and that Buehler-May actually killed the victim. He contends that the district court should have granted his motion for judgment of acquittal. In reviewing the denial of a motion for judgment of acquittal, the appellate court examines the sufficiency of the evidence in support of the conviction. State v. Wiggett, 273 Kan. 438, 443, 44 P.3d 381 (2002). When the sufficiency of the evidence is challenged in a criminal case, the standard of review is whether, after review of all the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the appellate court is convinced that a rational factfinder could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Beach, 275 Kan. 603, Syl. ¶ 2, 67 P.3d 121 (2003). In this case, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence in support of the element of premeditation. Premeditation may be inferred by the jury from various circumstances, including (1) the nature of the weapon used, (2) the lack of provocation, (3) the defendant's conduct before and after the killing, (4) threats and declarations of the defendant before and during the occurrence, or (5) the dealing of lethal blows after the deceased was felled and rendered helpless. State v. Boone, 277 Kan. 208, Syl. ¶ 10, 83 P.3d 195 (2004). There was evidence falling into several of these categories. First, the nature of the weapon used by the defendant was a baseball bat, while the other attackers struck the victim with bolt cutters and a wooden pole. The blows struck by these weapons caused massive head injuries. Because hitting someone with a baseball bat is likely to cause extensive injury or death, its use in this case lends support to the inference of premeditation. See State v. Beard, 273 Kan. 789, 803, 46 P.3d 1185 (2002) (hammer just as deadly a weapon as a pipe, baseball bat, knife, or gun; use of hammer to beat victim supported premeditation). As to provocation, although there was evidence that the victim provoked his attackers by accusing them of stealing his marijuana cigarette, there was no evidence that the victim began the physical altercation or that he was armed. Premeditation can also be inferred from Cavaness' conduct before and after the killing. First, he participated in the fight where he and two other men struck the victim in the head with their weapons, knocking the victim unconscious. They then dragged the victim inside the house and discussed the fact that they could not let the victim leave. Cavaness called the neighbor for rope to tie up the victim. Even the defendant's sister, who testified that the defendant spent [a]lmost the entire time in her bedroom, admitted that all of the men came and went from her bedroom. After the victim's death, Cavaness and the other men attempted to clean up the blood in the house, dumped the victim's body in the river, and burned the clothes they had been wearing. Finally, there was evidence, including Cavaness' own testimony and statement, that the victim was dealt additional blows after he had been felled and rendered helpless. The evidence was sufficient to support the inference that this murder was premeditated. Affirmed.