Opinion ID: 2010756
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: There was Sufficient Evidence for the Jury to Consider Felony Murder Under the Agency Theory.

Text: Comer contends that the Superior Court erred as a matter of law when it denied his motion for judgment of acquittal. He argues that the State failed to present sufficient evidence to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the death was caused by him, or one of his co-conspirators. We review the court's denial of a motion for judgment of acquittal de novo to determine whether any trier of fact, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, could find [the defendant] guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of all the elements of the crime. [47] In order to find Comer guilty of felony murder, the jury was required to find that, while engaged in the commission of, or attempt to commit, or flight after committing or attempting to commit any felony, Comer recklessly caused the death of another person. [48] As explained above, the jury was also required to find that Comer, or one acting in concert with him, performed the actual killing. [49] The trial court noted in denying Comer's judgment of acquittal, despite the inconsistent testimony in the case, that the jury could easily have harmonized the evidence and accepted the State's argument that Comer was shooting at Johnson when Mitchell died. [50] Several witnesses testified that Comer and his coconspirators, Williams and Reeves, began shooting at Johnson as he drove by them on Monroe Street and continued to fire up Fifth Street towards Johnson (and Mitchell) from the intersection of Fifth and Monroe. The State also presented four witnesses who testified that Johnson was not firing from his car. Although the defense presented testimony that Comer did not chase Johnson up Fifth Street and that shots were fired from Johnson's car, the jury could have found that the State's witnesses were more credible. When viewed in the light most favorable to the State, this evidence would be sufficient for the jury to find that, in an attempt to shoot Johnson, either Comer or one of his co-conspirators fired a shot that ricocheted and struck Mitchell. Accordingly, the Superior Court properly denied the motion for judgment of acquittal. The evidence is sufficient to create a jury question on whether Comer is guilty of felony murder. Before answering that question, the jury must be instructed consistent with the agency theory of felony murder.