Opinion ID: 1058603
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: The defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence, arguing that under the facts presented, he is guilty of, at the most, facilitation of the victims' kidnappings, robberies, and murders. He attacks the credibility of the State's star witness, Antonio Cartwright as objectively and patently unbelievable. We disagree. Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 13(e) (1980) ordains that [f]indings of guilt in criminal actions whether by the trial court or jury shall be set aside if the evidence is insufficient to support the findings by the trier of fact of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Upon conviction, the burden of demonstrating why the evidence is insufficient to support the verdict falls upon the convicted criminal defendant, because a verdict of guilt destroys the presumption of innocence and imposes a presumption of guilt. See State v. Evans, 108 S.W.3d 231, 237 (Tenn.2003); State v. Carruthers, 35 S.W.3d 516, 557-58 (Tenn. 2000); State v. Tuggle, 639 S.W.2d 913, 914 (Tenn.1982). The standard for appellate review when a criminal defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence 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 beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); see also Tenn. R.App. P. 13(e); State v. Reid, 91 S.W.3d 247, 276 (Tenn.2002); State v. Hall, 8 S.W.3d 593, 599 (Tenn.1999). On appeal, the State is entitled to the strongest legitimate view of the evidence and to all reasonable and legitimate inferences that may be drawn therefrom. State v. Smith, 24 S.W.3d 274, 279 (Tenn.2000); see also Carruthers, 35 S.W.3d at 558; Hall, 8 S.W.3d at 599. A guilty verdict by the trier of fact accredits the testimony of the State's witnesses and resolves all conflicts in the evidence in favor of the prosecution's theory. See State v. Bland, 958 S.W.2d 651, 659 (Tenn. 1997). Questions about the credibility of witnesses, the weight and value of the evidence, as well as all factual issues raised by the evidence are resolved by the trier of fact, and this Court will not re-weigh or re-evaluate the evidence. See Evans, 108 S.W.3d at 236; Bland, 958 S.W.2d at 659. Nor will this Court substitute its own inferences drawn from circumstantial evidence for those drawn by the trier of fact. See Evans, 108 S.W.3d at 236-37; Carruthers, 35 S.W.3d at 557. The defendant argues that if he is guilty of anything, it is of facilitation of these crimes. For purposes of the following discussion, we refer to the criminal responsibility statute and the facilitation statute. The criminal responsibility statute provides in pertinent part that [a] person is criminally responsible for an offense committed by the conduct of another if (1) Acting with the culpability required for the offense, the person causes or aids an innocent or irresponsible person to engage in conduct prohibited by the definition of the offense; (2) Acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, or to benefit in the proceeds or results of the offense, the person solicits, directs, aids, or attempts to aid another person to commit the offense; or (3) Having a duty imposed by law or voluntarily undertaken to prevent commission of the offense and acting with intent to benefit in the proceeds or results of the offense, or to promote or assist its commission, the person fails to make a reasonable effort to prevent commission of the offense. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-11-402 (1997). A person found criminally responsible for an offense committed by another is guilty to the same degree as the principal offender. State v. Richmond, 90 S.W.3d 648, 655 (Tenn.2002); State v. Phillips, 76 S.W.3d 1, 9 (Tenn.Crim.App.2001). To compare, the facilitation statute provides that [a] person is criminally responsible for the facilitation of a felony if, knowing that another intends to commit a specific felony, but without the intent required for criminal responsibility under § 39-11-403(2), the person knowingly furnishes substantial assistance in the commission of the felony. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-11-403(a) (1997). A person found guilty of facilitation of an offense is subject to punishment for an offense one class next below that of the felony facilitated. A defendant's presence, knowledge of, and participation in the crimes charged, clearly raises a question of fact for the jury as to defendant's participation as a principal or a facilitator. See Richmond, 90 S.W.3d at 654-55; Flippen v. State, 211 Tenn. 507, 365 S.W.2d 895, 898-99 (1963). With these definitions in mind, we proceed to analyze the sufficiency of the evidence of the defendant's participation in each of the convicted offenses.
At the time of these killings, premeditated first degree murder was defined as a premeditated and intentional killing of another. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-202(a)(1) (1995). Premeditation was defined as an act done after the exercise of reflection and judgment. Premeditation means that the intent to kill must have been formed prior to the act itself. It is not necessary that the purpose to kill pre-exist in the mind of the accused for any definite period of time. The mental state of the accused at the time the accused allegedly decided to kill must be carefully considered in order to determine whether the accused was sufficiently free from excitement and passion as to be capable of premeditation. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-202(d) (1995). A conviction for first-degree murder required proof that the killing of another was intended. Intentional conduct refers to a person acting intentionally with respect to a result of the conduct, when it is the person's conscious objective or desire to cause the death of the victim. TENN.CODE ANN. § 39-11-106(a)(18) (1995). The existence of premeditation is a question of fact for the jury. State v. Suttles, 30 S.W.3d 252, 261 (Tenn.2000). Because premeditation involves the defendant's state of mind, concerning which there is often no direct evidence, Tennessee cases have long recognized that premeditation may be inferred from the circumstances surrounding the killing. Holton, 126 S.W.3d at 859; State v. Davidson, 121 S.W.3d 600, 614-15 (Tenn. 2003); Bland, 958 S.W.2d at 660. We have previously identified a number of circumstances from which the jury may infer premeditation: (1) the use of a deadly weapon upon an unarmed victim; (2) the particular cruelty of the killing; (3) the defendant's threats or declarations of intent to kill; (4) the defendant's procurement of a weapon; (5) any preparations to conceal the crime undertaken before the crime is committed; (6) destruction or concealing of evidence of the killing; and (7) a defendant's calmness immediately after the killing. See Davidson, 121 S.W.3d at 615; State v. Pike, 978 S.W.2d 904, 914-15 (Tenn. 1998); Bland, 958 S.W.2d at 660. This list, however, is not exhaustive and serves only to demonstrate that premeditation may be established by any evidence from which the jury may infer that the killing was done after the exercise of reflection and judgment. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-202(d) (1995); see Pike, 978 S.W.2d at 914-15; Bland, 958 S.W.2d at 660. One learned treatise states that premeditation may be inferred from events that occur before and at the time of the killing: Three categories of evidence are important for [the] purpose [of inferring premeditation]: (1) facts about how and what the defendant did prior to the actual killing which show he was engaged in activity directed toward the killing, that is, planning activity; (2) facts about the defendant's prior relationship and conduct with the victim from which motive may be inferred; and (3) facts about the nature of the killing from which it may be inferred that the manner of killing was so particular and exacting that the defendant must have intentionally killed according to a preconceived design. 2 Wayne R. LaFave, Substantive Criminal Law § 14.7(a) (2d ed.2003). After reviewing the evidence in the record in the light most favorable to the prosecution, we conclude that the jury's verdict of guilt of premeditated murder is supported by the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury was in the best position to judge the credibility of the witnesses and to decide whether the defendant acted with the culpability necessary to hold him criminally responsible for the kidnapping, robbery and murder of the victims. The proof established that the defendant and Davis planned to meet the victims for the purpose of purchasing assault weapons. At some point, they decided to rob the victims instead of paying for the guns. The defendant was overheard participating in this discussion and stating, If we rob 'em, we gotta kill 'em ... [b]ecause they know us. The defendant and Davis carried handcuffs, rope and duct tape to their meeting with the victims. The victims were found in a remote location in a state of partial undress. Rope left at the scene indicated that the victims had been bound. Both victims were shot multiple times with two different weapons. When the defendant and Davis returned to Davis's apartment, they had numerous assault weapons and Lee's car. The defendant claimed to a friend that he had killed Ewing because Davis had been unable to do so. The defendant and Davis burned and abandoned Lee's car in a remote location, then spent the night in a motel away from their usual abode. When confronted by police the next day, both Davis and the defendant fled. Following the defendant's arrest, he admitted to being at the scene. In light of this evidence, we conclude that a reasonable juror could have found the defendant guilty of the first degree premeditated murders of Ewing and Lee based upon either his own conduct or under a theory of criminal responsibility for the conduct of his co-defendant, or both. We agree with both courts below that the evidence does not support a finding that the defendant was guilty merely of facilitation. Insofar as the credibility of Antonio Cartwright is concerned, that was strictly a question for the jury. The jury chose to accredit Cartwright's testimony over the statement of the defendant, as was its prerogative.
At the time this offense was committed, felony murder was defined as a killing of another committed in the perpetration of or attempt to perpetrate any first degree murder, arson, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, kidnapping, aggravated child abuse, or aircraft piracy. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-202(a)(2) (1995). No culpable mental state was required for conviction of felony murder except the intent to commit the enumerated offenses. . . . Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-202(b) (1995). Robbery was defined as the intentional or knowing theft of property from the person of another by violence or putting the person in fear. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-401(a) (1995). In order for a person to be convicted of especially aggravated robbery, the state was required to prove that the robbery was accomplished with a deadly weapon and the victim must have suffered serious bodily injury. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-403(a) (1995). The evidence in this case showed that the defendant and his cohort openly discussed robbing and murdering the victims in the hours before acting on their intentions. The defendants were seen later in possession of the victims' car, jewelry, clothing, and weapons. Both victims were shot to death with firearms. Based on this evidence, the convictions for especially aggravated robbery and felony murder are amply supported by the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.
At the time of these offenses, kidnapping was defined as false imprisonment, i.e., the knowing removal or confinement of another unlawfully so as to interfere substantially with another person's liberty, under circumstances exposing the other person to a substantial risk of bodily injury. Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 39-13-302(a), -303(a)(1) (1991). A kidnapping was especially aggravated under section 39-13-305 if accomplished with a deadly weapon or if the victim suffered serious bodily injury. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-305(a)(1), (4) (1991). The evidence showed that the defendant and Davis left Davis's apartment carrying a bag that contained handcuffs, rope and duct tape. There is evidence, including the defendant's own statement, that the victims were bound and transported to the construction site where their bodies were eventually found. Rope found at the murder scene was further evidence that the victims had been bound. While the evidence is unclear as to which defendant was actually responsible for binding the victims, what is clear is that the defendant played an active role in planning, preparing, and executing the kidnapping, robbery and murder of the victims. The evidence is certainly sufficient to support a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt of especially aggravated kidnapping under at least a theory of criminal responsibility.