Opinion ID: 1806535
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: The test of whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain a verdict is whether this court can conclude the trier of the facts could, acting reasonably, be convinced to the required degree of certitude by the evidence which it had a right to believe and accept as true. Lock v. State (1966), 31 Wis. 2d 110, 114, 142 N. W. 2d 183; State v. Spring, ante, p. 333, 179 N. W. 2d 841. We have examined the record and have come to the conclusion the evidence is sufficient to sustain the jury's verdict that Cassel endangered the safety of Hundt by conduct regardless of life. Each of the three elements of this crime was adequately proved: (1) The conduct was imminently dangerous to another; (2) the conduct was of such a character it evinced a depraved mind regardless of human life; and (3) such conduct did endanger the safety of another. See State v. Dolan (1969), 44 Wis. 2d 68, 73, 170 N. W. 2d 822. Cassel's argument seems to be that the shot he fired struck the automobile and not Officer Hundt and therefore his conduct was not imminently dangerous and did not endanger the safety of Hundt. The facts on this issue were in dispute. Cassel said the gun went off accidentally in the car and hit the windshield. Hundt testified Cassel shot at him but hit the car. The chip out of the windshield is from the outside, not the inside, and the jury believed and had a right to believe the testimony of the officer. True, Cassel was a poor marksman but if his marksmanship had been any better he might have been charged with murder.