Opinion ID: 1881795
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: A. First-Degree Murder Charge

Text: The defendant challenges the sufficiency of evidence to convict him of first-degree premeditated murder; however, we find that there was sufficient evidence to have sent the charge to the jury. We agree with the trial court that viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution shows that the defendant was arguing with the deceased, that he had taken a knife out prior to the stabbing, there was a time, as you recall from the evidence, at least from the Prosecutor's point of view, where the deceased started to walk away, and turned and came back towards the Defendant, the Defendant and the deceased then came towards each other, and that by inference, no direct testimony but rather strong circumstantial evidence, the defendant then plunged a knife into the chest or heart of the deceased. And even that testimony I think would provide enough time for the Defendant to have reflected and thought about what he was going to do and that he went ahead and did it, decided that he was going to stab the deceased in the heart or chest, and did so. So, it doesn't take a whole lot of time, and certainly you can argue that the circumstances weren't the kind that are crystal clear, certainly you can argue both ways on this particular point, but certainly if the jury decides to return a verdict of first-degree murder, I don't think that would be unsupported by the evidence, at least from the prosecutor's point of view.... Therefore, we find that it was not an error for the trial judge to submit the first-degree murder charge to the jury because the evidence could support a conviction on that charge.