Opinion ID: 1767578
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: While Hickman does not dispute that a burglary occurred, he argues that there was no evidence that he entered the premises in which the burglary occurred, nor that he planned or organized the burglary. More specifically, he contends, there was no evidence that he was an accomplice in the burglary, as he simply took the television handed to him by James Earl Benton and placed it into the van. The State responds that the testimony presented at trial shows that the jury did not need to resort to speculation or conjecture to determine that appellant had committed residential burglary by entering the Haddad house and stealing her property, a theft crime punishable by imprisonment. In reviewing a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, this court determines whether the verdict is supported by substantial evidence, direct or circumstantial. See Boyd v. State, 369 Ark. 259, 253 S.W.3d 456 (2007). Substantial evidence is evidence forceful enough to compel a conclusion one way or the other beyond suspicion or conjecture. See id. We view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, and only evidence supporting the verdict will be considered. See id. While the evidence does not show that Hickman himself entered the property and committed the act of burglary, there was substantial evidence that he was an accomplice to the burglary of Ms. Haddad's home. Arkansas Code Annotated § 5-39-201(a) (Repl.2006) sets forth the offense of residential burglary: (a)(1) A person commits residential burglary if he or she enters or remains unlawfully in a residential occupiable structure of another person with the purpose of committing in the residential occupiable structure any offense punishable by imprisonment. (2) Residential burglary is a Class B felony. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-39-201(a) (Repl.2006). In this case, the State proceeded under the theory that Hickman or an accomplice committed the residential burglary, and the jury was so instructed. Our criminal code provides that a person may commit an offense either by his or her own conduct or that of another person. See Ark.Code Ann. § 5-2-401 (Repl.2006). A person is criminally liable for the conduct of another person if the person is an accomplice of another person in the commission of an offense. See Ark. Code Ann. § 5-2-402(2) (Repl.2006). A person is an accomplice of another person in the commission of an offense if, with the purpose of promoting or facilitating the commission of an offense, the person: (1) Solicits, advises, encourages, or coerces the other person to commit the offense; (2) Aids, agrees to aid, or attempts to aid the other person in planning or committing the offense; or (3) Having a legal duty to prevent the commission of the offense, fails to make a proper effort to prevent the commission of the offense. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-2-403(a) (Repl.2006). When a theory of accomplice liability is implicated, we affirm a sufficiency-of-the-evidence challenge if substantial evidence exists that the defendant acted as an accomplice in the commission of the alleged offense. See Wilson v. State, 365 Ark. 664, 232 S.W.3d 455 (2006). A review of the evidence in the instant case reveals substantial evidence to support Hickman's conviction. According to Caleb Johnson's testimony, he, Hickman, James Earl, and Cord went over to Ms. Douglas's home. While there, he went outside and saw James Earl passing a television set to Hickman across the fence between Ms. Douglas's and Ms. Haddad's homes. He then saw Hickman put the television into the back of the van in which they had arrived. During his testimony, Caleb stated that he believed it was Hickman's idea to go into the house and acknowledged his statement to the police that the burglary was Hickman's idea. In addition to Caleb's testimony, Sammy Douglas, Ruby Douglas's son, testified that he also saw James Earl pass Hickman a television over the fence. He further stated that he saw Hickman put the television in the van. Because substantial evidence exists that Hickman provided aid to another in committing the offense of residential burglary, rendering him an accomplice, we affirm his conviction and sentence for residential burglary.