Opinion ID: 1726271
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: whether the trial court erred by denying turner's motion for a directed verdict at the end of the state's case.

Text: ¶ 15. Turner contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion for directed verdict lodged at the close of the State's case-in-chief. The State argues that sufficient evidence was presented in the State's case-in-chief to support the trial court's denial of Turner's directed verdict motion. ¶ 16. This Court has held, It is elemental that after a motion for directed verdict is overruled at the conclusion of the State's evidence, and the appellant proceeds to introduce evidence in his own behalf, the point is waived. In order to preserve it, the appellant must renew his motion for a directed verdict at the conclusion of all the evidence. Wright v. State, 540 So.2d 1, 3 (Miss.1989) (quoting Harris v. State, 413 So.2d 1016, 1018 (Miss.1982)). See, e.g., Bounds v. State, 688 So.2d 1362, 1372 (Miss.1997); Holland v. State, 656 So.2d 1192, 1197 (Miss. 1995); State v. Russell, 358 So.2d 409, 413 (Miss.1978). ¶ 17. In the case sub judice, Turner moved for a directed verdict at the close of the State's case-in-chief. Turner then presented evidence in his own behalf but did not renew his motion for directed verdict at the close of all the evidence. Thus, Turner waived this assignment of error, and it is therefore not properly before this Court. ¶ 18. Notwithstanding the bar, however, alternatively, we find that the evidence and the reasonable inferences from the evidence supported the jury's verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and that the trial court correctly denied Turner's motion for directed verdict. See White v. State, 566 So.2d 1256, 1259 (Miss.1990). In White, this Court explained the standard of review of the denial of a motion for directed verdict as follows: The standard of review in judging the sufficiency of the evidence on motion for directed verdict requires that we accept as true all evidence favorable to the State, together with reasonable inferences arising therefrom, to disregard the evidence favorable to the defendant, and if such evidence would support a verdict of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the trial court's denial of the motion must be affirmed. White, 566 So.2d at 1259 (quoting Boyd v. State, 523 So.2d 1037, 1040 (Miss.1988); Stever v. State, 503 So.2d 227, 230 (Miss.1987); Haymond v. State, 478 So.2d 297, 299 (Miss. 1985)). In the case sub judice, the State presented the testimony of John Williamson that Williamson found Turner sitting in the truck on broken glass with Williamson's radar detector and stereo facing in his lap. Freddie Vancleve additionally testified that when he came outside of the bar that he also saw Turner inside Williamson's truck with some of Williamson's things between his legs. Thus, following the applicable standard of review, we find that the evidence presented by the State was sufficient to support the jury's verdict and warrant the trial court denying Turner's motion for directed verdict. As a result, this assignment of error is both waived and, alternatively, without merit.