Opinion ID: 2599880
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence (Oliver)

Text: Oliver claims there was insufficient evidence to prove his guilt of the charged crimes. In his view, the convictions and ensuing death sentence violate the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and unspecified provisions of the Eighth Amendment. We disagree. Our role is limited here. We review the entire record in the light most favorable to the judgment, and affirm the convictions as long as a rational trier of fact could have found guilt based on the evidence and inferences drawn therefrom. ( People v. Millwee, supra, 18 Cal.4th 96, 132, 74 Cal.Rptr.2d 418, 954 P.2d 990, citing People v. Johnson (1980) 26 Cal.3d 557, 576, 162 Cal.Rptr. 431, 606 P.2d 738; see Jackson v. Virginia (1979) 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560.) The evidence refutes Oliver's claim of mistaken identity, and shows that he committed the capital crime. Oliver became enraged at Mizell when she had the police forcibly extract him from Lewis's house the day she ended her relationship with Lewis and moved out. The jury could reasonably infer that Oliver, out of loyalty to his brother Lewis, would be willing to help Lewis pursue his own vendetta against Mizell and her family after she left. Of course, the hoods and masks worn by the two men who committed the capital crime at the Mount Olive Church prevented facial identification. However, witness descriptions of the killer's height, weight, and complexion matched Oliver's general appearance. In targeting Mizell and her immediate family for death inside the church (under the mistaken belief they would all be present, including Mizell), Oliver apparently entered and pulled the trigger (as opposed to Lewis), because parishioners were less likely to recognize Oliver (whom they did not know) than Lewis (whom they did know). Oliver had the opportunity in advance to study Mizell's photo album and learn the faces of the family members who were intended as victims. Two days after the capital crime, Oliver threatened Holt with his Savage shotgun, which the police seized from his car. Forensic evidence conclusively linked Oliver's shotgun to the murders and attempted murder. Oliver's palm print impressions were found on the shotgun. Three shells fired by the same weapon were retrieved from inside the church where the three shootings occurred. The police found a black jacket in Oliver's car similar to clothing that the killer wore. They also found gunshot residue on the jacket. A search of the house Oliver shared with Lewis uncovered fingerless gloves similar to the pair the killer wore while wielding the shotgun inside the church. In light of the foregoing, ample evidence supported the verdicts against Oliver of murder and attempted murder, and the related multiple-murder special circumstance finding. [24]