Opinion ID: 1287665
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: evidence of dodger's robbery

Text: Finally, Benjamin asserts the trial court improperly admitted evidence of the armed robbery of Dodger's Convenience Store which occurred several hours after the robbery/murder at Sweetwater Citgo. We disagree. The robbery and murder at Sweetwater Citgo occurred between midnight and 1:00 am on May 7, 1997. Benjamin and his cohorts stole approximately $100.00 from the store and used the money to buy cocaine and marijuana. At approximately 4:30 am, they drove to Orangeburg where Aiken and Benjamin robbed Dodger's Convenience Store; however, they inadvertently stole the wrong part of the cash register and obtained no money. As they left the store with the register, Aiken dropped the gun which had been used in the Sweetwater Citgo robbery and murder. Aiken testified they robbed Dodger's in order to obtain money for more drugs. At trial, the State presented the testimony of the Dodger's clerk, Cecily McMillan. She positively identified Benjamin, testifying that when she attempted to run from her assailants, Benjamin was screaming at her telling her to get [your] ass back here before [I] have to come back and get [you]. She also testified Benjamin looked like he was up pretty bad mood, like was angry about something. Benjamin asserts the probative value of McMillan's testimony was outweighed by its prejudicial value. We disagree. We find McMillan's testimony was properly admitted for numerous reasons. [7] First, Benjamin's defense to the charges here was that, although he participated in the crimes, he did so under duress, fearing Aiken would harm him if he did not go along. McMillan's testimony tended to demonstrate that Benjamin was a willing participant, thereby rebutting Benjamin's claim that he acted under duress. [8] Accordingly, this testimony was properly admitted to demonstrate Benjamin's intent pursuant to State v. Lyle, 125 S.C. 406, 118 S.E. 803 (1923). See also State v. Beck, 342 S.C. 129, 536 S.E.2d 679 (2000)(evidence of other bad acts is admissible when it tends to establish motive, identity, a common scheme or plan, the absence of mistake or accident, or intent). Moreover, we find testimony concerning the subsequent robbery was admissible as part of the res gestae. As noted by this Court in Hough, supra : One of the accepted bases for the admissibility of evidence of other crimes arises when such evidence furnishes part of the context of the crime or is necessary to a full presentation of the case, or is so intimately connected with and explanatory of the crime charged against the defendant and is so much a part of the setting of the case and its environment that its proof is appropriate in order to complete the story of the crime on trial by proving its immediate context or the res gestae or the uncharged offense is so linked together in point of time and circumstances with the crime charged that one cannot be fully shown without proving the other ... [and is thus] part of the res gestae of the crime charged. And where evidence is admissible to provide this full presentation of the offense, [t]here is no reason to fragmentize the event under inquiry by suppressing parts of the res gestae. 325 S.C. at 92, 480 S.E.2d at 79. Here, the weapon used, and left behind at the Dodger's store, was also the weapon used in the robbery/murder at Sweetwater Citgo such that testimony concerning the weapon was necessary to a full presentation of the State's case. [9] Accordingly, we find evidence of the subsequent robbery was properly admitted. [10]