Opinion ID: 2550126
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The burglary, home invasion, robbery, and kidnapping charges

Text: With respect to the burglary, home invasion, robbery and kidnapping charges, the State alleged three alternative theories of criminal liability: (1) that Bolden directly committed the offenses, (2) that he aided and abetted his cohorts, or (3) that he was vicariously responsible for all of the acts of his cohorts done in aid of the conspiracy. When alternate theories of criminal liability are presented to a jury and all of the theories are legally valid, a general verdict can be affirmed even if sufficient evidence supports only one of the theories. [10] When any one of the alleged theories is legally erroneous, however, reversal of a general verdict is required  except under the very narrowly defined circumstances discussed below  regardless of the legal and factual sufficiency of the other theories. [11] Accordingly, we turn to an analysis of the legal and evidentiary support for each of the State's theories of liability.