Opinion ID: 1656069
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: ¶ 7. In considering whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain a conviction in the face of a motion for directed verdict or for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, the critical inquiry is whether the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that accused committed the act charged, and that he did so under such circumstances that every element of the offense existed; and where the evidence fails to meet this test it is insufficient to support a conviction. However, this inquiry does not require a reviewing court to ask itself whether it believes that the evidence at the trial established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Instead, the relevant question is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Bush v. State, 895 So.2d 836, 843 (Miss.2005) (citing Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 315, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979).) Should the facts and inferences considered in a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence point in favor of the defendant on any element of the offense with sufficient force that reasonable men could not have found beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty, the proper remedy is for the appellate court to reverse and render. Bush, 895 So.2d at 843 (quoting Edwards v. State, 469 So.2d 68, 70 (Miss.1985)). However, if a review of the evidence reveals that it is of such quality and weight that, having in mind the beyond a reasonable doubt burden of proof standard, reasonable fair-minded men in the exercise of impartial judgment might reach different conclusions on every element of the offense, the evidence will be deemed to have been sufficient. Bush, 895 So.2d at 843 (quoting Edwards, 469 So.2d at 70). ¶ 8. Under Miss.Code Ann. § 97-3-65(1)(a) (Rev.2000), the following elements must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt: (1) the alleged victim must be at least fourteen at the time of the rape but under sixteen years of age; (2) the accused must be at least seventeen years of age and more than thirty-six months older than the victim; (3) the victim must not be the accused's spouse; and (4) the two must have engaged in sexual intercourse (meaning the penis of the male is inserted into the vagina of the female). Here, the only element under dispute is the sexual intercourse element. ¶ 9. Considering the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, we find that there was sufficient evidence to convict Miley of statutory rape. K.S. testified that she was alone in the house with Miley, that Miley was sitting near her on the couch and stated, You don't take care of me. Immediately after this statement, Miley told K.S. to put on a white tee shirt. It is undisputed that she also took off everything else and wore nothing but the white tee shirt. The victim testified that Miley's penis did penetrate her vagina, and she gave explicit detail of the incident (including testifying as to the approximate length of time engaged in intercourse and the approximate height above the floor at which her calves were positioned as they dangled from the bed on which she lay). ¶ 10. Miley argues that since K.S. is the only eyewitness to the alleged penetration, and since the victim was not fond of Miley's disciplining methods and admitted that she had no affinity for Miley, her testimony as to sexual intercourse was suspect and therefore insufficient for conviction. However, the unsupported word of the victim of a sex crime is sufficient to support a guilty verdict where that testimony is not discredited or contradicted by other credible evidence. Collier v. State, 711 So.2d 458, 462 (Miss.1998) (citing Christian v. State, 456 So.2d 729, 734 (Miss.1984)); Inman v. State, 515 So.2d 1150, 1152 (Miss.1987); Doby v. State, 532 So.2d 584, 591 (Miss.1988); Ragland v. State, 403 So.2d 146, 147 (Miss.1981). See also Williams v. State, 512 So.2d 666 (Miss.1987) (where nudity, in the totality of the circumstances, was an indicator of rape despite the victim's inability to communicate anything directly to the court). ¶ 11. Here, although Miley attacks the victim's credibility, her testimony was not sufficiently discredited to warrant overruling the verdict. Miley reiterated on appeal that the possibility exists that . . . [K.S.] conducted a deception to accuse Appellant falsely for [her] own purpose. Deception might be a possibility but it is not a probability in this case. ¶ 12. There is evidence of difficulties between Miley and the victim not emanating from his sexual activity with her. However, her prior disagreements with him on other matters are not strong indications of falsehood about sexual intercourse with Miley, especially when coupled with the totality of the circumstances, particularly Miley's sexually suggestive ritual of instructing the victim to wear a certain type of garment.