Opinion ID: 1655709
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether there was sufficient evidence for the jury to find the defendant guilty of murder?

Text: ¶ 30. Theodore argues that due to the gang language used by Crenshaw, he was fearful for his life. Theodore also alleges that the testimony of the State's witnesses was such that no reasonable juror could have found him guilty. The State disputes Theodore's allegations citing numerous places in the record where witnesses provided sufficient evidence through their testimony. ¶ 31. Conflict in the evidence is for the jury's resolution. Hyde v. State, 413 So.2d 1042, 1044 (Miss.1982). Theodore testified that he was fearful for his life because Crenshaw threatened him by using gang language. After this threat, Theodore pulled out a gun and began shooting at Crenshaw. The State rebutted Theodore's testimony with the testimony of Joyce Bell. Joyce Bell was a resident in the apartment complex where the incident took place. She was on the balcony beside Theodore when he began shooting at Crenshaw. She testified that Theodore had been sitting down during the altercation between the other men. He was not involved in the dispute. She testified that Crenshaw was not talking to Theodore when Theodore pulled a gun from his pants and began firing. ¶ 32. The sufficiency of the evidence was viewed and tested in the light most favorable to the State. McClain v. State, 625 So.2d 774, 778 (Miss.1993). This Court is required to reverse only where, with respect to one or more of the elements of the offense charged, the evidence considered is such that reasonable and fair-minded jurors could only find the accused not guilty. Id. (citing Wetz v. State 503 So.2d 803, 807 (Miss.1987)). ¶ 33. Additional evidence in the record proves sufficient to uphold the verdict of guilty. Erica Brock had been a passenger in the jeep with Crenshaw before the incident took place. She testified that Crenshaw did not have a weapon nor did he make any threats during the altercation. Brock also testified that Crenshaw remained in his jeep the entire time. ¶ 34. As earlier mentioned, Joyce Bell testified that Theodore was not a part of this altercation. She also stated that Crenshaw was not speaking to Theodore nor was he even looking in the direction of Theodore at the time of the shooting. ¶ 35. Roderic Theodore testified that he purchased the gun earlier that afternoon from an unidentified white male. Theodore admitted to pulling the gun from his pants and firing shots at the deceased Crenshaw. He testified that Crenshaw was speaking gang language, and he was fearful for his life. ¶ 36. From a thorough review of the record, this Court finds that there was sufficient evidence in the record to convict Theodore of murder. As earlier stated, the sufficiency of the evidence is viewed and tested in the light most favorable to the State. McClain v. State, 625 So.2d at 778. This Court is required to reverse only where, with respect to one or more of the elements of the offense charged, the evidence considered is such that reasonable and fair-minded jurors could only find the accused not guilty. Id. (citing Wetz v. State 503 So.2d at 807). If the jury accepted the above testimony as true, there was sufficient evidence in the record to convict Theodore of murder.