Opinion ID: 2216780
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Did trial court err in overruling defendant's motions for judgment of acquittal made at various times throughout the trial?

Text: Defendant moved for judgment of acquittal upon the completion of the State's opening statement, the conclusion of presentation of the State's evidence and again upon the conclusion of presentation of all evidence. He argued that the State's case for second degree murder was totally dependent on circumstantial evidence and that in order to sustain a conviction based on such evidence, it must be inconsistent with any rational hypothesis of innocence. As he asserts that suicide was a complete defense and the circumstantial evidence was not inconsistent with Gloria's committing suicide, he contends that his motions should have been granted. Defendant's argument is invalid for at least two reasons. First, as previously noted, suicide was not a complete defense in this case. It certainly was not a defense to involuntary manslaughter, and we need not consider whether it could have nonetheless been a defense to second degree murder because a motion for judgment of acquittal should be denied if there is sufficient evidence to prove a lesser included offense. See, e. g., United States v. Kelly, 119 F.Supp. 217, 219-20 (D.D.C.1954); State v. Vincent, 321 S.W.2d 439, 441 (Mo.1959) (alternative holding); 23A C.J.S. Criminal Law § 1145(3)(e) (1961). The reason for this rule is that an acquittal of the greater offense bars later prosecution of any lesser included offense if, under the indictment for the first offense, defendant could have been convicted of the lesser offense. Kelly, 119 F.Supp. at 219; see State v. Stergion, 248 N.W.2d 911, 912 (Iowa 1976). Secondly, the rule defendant asserts as proper for evaluating circumstantial evidence was rejected in State v. O'Connell, 275 N.W.2d 197, 204-05 (Iowa 1979). Such evidence is now to be viewed no more restrictively than direct evidence. [9]