Opinion ID: 1831455
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sufficiency of circumstantial evidence to prove premeditation

Text: Johnston argues that the circumstantial evidence presented by the State in this case was insufficient to prove premeditation. The question before us is whether the State presented competent, substantial evidence from which the jury could find that all reasonable hypotheses of innocence were excluded.
Premeditation is defined as a fully-formed conscious purpose to kill, which exists in the mind of the perpetrator for a sufficient length of time to permit of reflection, and in pursuance of which an act of killing ensues. Blackwood v. State, 777 So.2d 399, 406 (Fla.2000) (quoting Sireci v. State, 399 So.2d 964, 967 (Fla. 1981)). Premeditation may be formed in a moment and need only exist `for such time as will allow the accused to be conscious of the nature of the act he is about to commit and the probable result of that act.' Blackwood, 777 So.2d at 406 (quoting DeAngelo v. State, 616 So.2d 440, 441 (Fla.1993)). The State may establish premeditation through circumstantial evidence. See Hoefert v. State, 617 So.2d 1046 (Fla.1993). However, the evidence relied upon by the State must be inconsistent with every other reasonable inference. Id. Evidence from which premeditation may be inferred includes such matters as the nature of the weapon used, the presence or absence of adequate provocation, previous difficulties between the parties, the manner in which the homicide was committed, and the nature and manner of the wounds inflicted. Green v. State, 715 So.2d 940, 943 (Fla.1998) (quoting Holton v. State, 573 So.2d 284, 289 (Fla.1990)). In Holton, this Court held that the circumstantial evidence presented by the State was sufficient to support a jury finding of premeditation and a verdict of first-degree murder. Holton, 573 So.2d at 289. The victim in Holton was found with a ligature securely tied around her neck. Id. The medical examiner determined that death was caused by strangulation. Id. Scratch marks on the defendant's chest indicated the victim had struggled during the attack. Id. The victim's house had been burned, presumably to conceal the crime. Id. This Court held that the evidence was sufficient to prove premeditation. Because the circumstantial evidence standard does not require the jury to believe the defense version of facts on which the state has produced conflicting evidence, the jury properly could have concluded that Holton's version of the facts was untrue. Id. at 290 (citation omitted).
The official cause of Nugent's death was asphyxiation by manual strangulation. Dr. Martin, the medical examiner, opined that the strangulation in this case was not a constant, continuous compression, but was more of a manual throttling... meaning it was more pressure, release, pressure, release. Dr. Martin testified that Nugent would have been conscious for a good portion of the attack. Defensive bruising on Nugent's arms and hands and defensive fingernail injuries on her nose showed that Nugent struggled with her assailant and attempted to pull the assailant's hands off her face. In light of this Court's holding in Holton, Dr. Martin's testimony was sufficient to establish premeditation. The circumstantial evidence standard does not require the jury to believe the defense's version of the facts when the State has produced conflicting evidence. Thus, the jury properly concluded that Johnston's hypothesis of innocence was rebutted by competent, substantial evidence. See Woods v. State, 733 So.2d 980, 986 (Fla.1999); Crump, 622 So.2d at 971. Based upon the manner of Nugent's death and her antemortem injuries, we find that the State presented sufficient evidence for a jury to conclude that the murder was premeditated.