Opinion ID: 1402588
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bribery of a Witness

Text: {77} Coffin argues that the State failed to introduce sufficient evidence to support his conviction of bribery of a witness contrary to Section 30-24-3(A)(1). At trial, John Saldana testified on behalf of the State that Coffin told him to keep his mouth shut, that if he got arrested Coffin promised to bail him out, and that Coffin offered to buy Saldana an airline ticket to get out of town. Coffin, however, relies on Saldana's testimony on cross-examination that it could be that Coffin was trying to help protect Saldana, due to their friendship, from possible retaliation by the Lomas Trece gang. Coffin claims that Saldana's testimony on cross-examination supports an inference that Coffin's promise to buy Saldana an airline ticket was not for the purpose of having Saldana testify falsely or to have him abstain from testifying. See § 30-24-3(A)(1). Coffin misapprehends the proper appellate inquiry for a claim of sufficiency of the evidence. As stated above, we do not weigh the evidence or attempt to draw alternative inferences from the evidence. While Saldana's conjecture about Coffin's possible motive might support an inference favorable to Coffin, the jury was free to reject Coffin's explanation of his actions and to draw its own inferences based on the evidence. On appeal, we indulge all permissible inferences in favor of upholding the conviction. Viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the State, we conclude that there is sufficient evidence in the record for a rational jury to find each element of the crime of bribery of a witness beyond a reasonable doubt.