Opinion ID: 1102773
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Thorp argues the trial court erred in denying his motion for judgment of acquittal because the State's evidence failed to exclude the reasonable hypothesis of innocence that someone other than Thorp killed the victim. He contends that the DNA evidence proved only that he had sexual intercourse with the victim, not that he killed her. In addition, Thorp further contends that the evidence at trial contradicts the State's theory of how the murder occurred. Although we find prejudicial error with regard to two aspects of the State's case, we nevertheless find that the evidence was sufficient to overcome Thorp's motion for judgment of acquittal. Because there were no eyewitnesses or other direct evidence of Thorp's commission of the murder, the State's case against Thorp was predicated chiefly upon circumstantial evidence. As we stated in State v. Law, 559 So.2d 187 (Fla.1989): A special standard of review of the sufficiency of the evidence applies where a conviction is wholly based on circumstantial evidence. Jaramillo v. State, 417 So.2d 257 (Fla.1982). Where the only proof of guilt is circumstantial, no matter how strongly the evidence may suggest guilt, a conviction cannot be sustained unless the evidence is inconsistent with any reasonable hypothesis of innocence. McArthur v. State, 351 So.2d 972 (Fla.1977); Mayo v. State, 71 So.2d 899 (Fla.1954). The question of whether the evidence fails to exclude all reasonable hypotheses of innocence is for the jury to determine, and where there is substantial, competent evidence to support the jury verdict, we will not reverse. Heiney v. State, 447 So.2d 210 (Fla.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 920, 105 S.Ct. 303, 83 L.Ed.2d 237 (1984); Rose v. State, 425 So.2d 521 (Fla.1982), cert. denied, 461 U.S. 909, 103 S.Ct. 1883, 76 L.Ed.2d 812 (1983), disapproved on other grounds, Williams v. State, 488 So.2d 62 (Fla.1986). Law, 559 So.2d at 188. On the basis of the above rule, we held in Law that where the State fails to present evidence from which the jury can exclude every reasonable hypothesis except that of guilt, the court should grant a motion for judgment of acquittal. Id. Thorp contends that the State's evidence fails to exclude the possibility that someone other than Thorp killed the victim since several people were seen in the park on the night of the murder and none of the witnesses could actually identify Thorp as the person they observed walking with the victim prior to the murder. He also points out there is no physical evidence that Thorp killed the victim. The State's principle evidence linking Thorp to the crime includes the DNA evidence, Thorp's statements to his cellmate Bullock, and Thorp's physical appearance and condition on the night of the crime (i.e., that he was observed with blood on his clothing). We conclude that this evidence was sufficient to require this case to be submitted to the jury. As noted above, the DNA evidence indicates that Thorp was with the victim and had sexual intercourse with her the night of the murder. We recognize that while the DNA evidence, like fingerprint evidence, does not conclusively prove that Thorp committed the murder, cf. Jaramillo v. State, 417 So.2d 257, 257 (Fla.1982) (disregarding fingerprint evidence where State failed to prove the defendant's fingerprints could only have been placed on items in victim's home at time murder was committed), the DNA evidence supports the State's contention that Thorp was with the victim in the park around the time she was killed. The other significant evidence against Thorp is his supposed confession of the murder to cellmate Timothy Bullock. While Bullock testified that Thorp admitted he expected to be blamed for the murder of a prostitute, Bullock did not testify that Thorp ever directly admitted to killing the victim. [5] His actual statement, according to Bullock was that Thorp and another man did a hooker. [6] However, direct evidence was also presented that Thorp was seen with injuries and blood on his clothes on the night of the crime, injuries that could be consistent with a physical struggle with the murder victim who had considerable bruises and abrasions on her body even if she did not bleed extensively. Obviously, the victim's assailant could also have been injured and bled. On the face of the record before us, we find this evidence legally sufficient to convict Thorp of first-degree murder. While the State's evidence may not have been conclusive, it strongly suggests that Thorp struggled with and killed the victim. It was up to the jury to determine if this evidence proved Thorp's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Accordingly, we find no error in the trial court denying Thorp's motion for judgment of acquittal.