Opinion ID: 1771774
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 44

Heading: whether viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the state, a reasonable hypothetical juror could have found defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?

Text: ś 106. Puckett maintains there was insufficient evidence presented for a reasonable hypothetical jury to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and points to the following deficiencies in support of his argument: (1) no seminal fluid was identified from the sexual assault kit; (2) hair samples recovered at the victim's residence failed to match the defendant's; (3) no seminal fluid was recovered from a sample of carpet taken from the victim's residence; (4) testing of the coveralls worn while in the victim's residence revealed only the presence of several stains from deer blood and one stain which could be identified only as human protein, but not as a specific body fluid; and (5) the State failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the stick admitted into evidence as State's Exhibit No. 3 was in fact the murder weapon. Where a defendant has moved for j.n.o.v. [judgment of acquittal notwithstanding the verdict], the trial court must consider all of the evidenceâ not just the evidence which supports the State's caseâ in the light most favorable to the State. The State must be given the benefit of all favorable inferences that may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. Glass v. State, 278 So.2d 384, 386 (Miss.1973). If the facts and inferences so considered point in favor of the defendant with sufficient force that reasonable men could not have found beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty, granting the motion is required. On the other hand, if there is substantial evidence opposed to the motionâ that is, evidence of such quality and weight that, having in mind the beyond a reasonable doubt burden of proof standard, reasonable fairminded men in the exercise of impartial judgment might reach different conclusionsâ the motion should be denied. May v. State, 460 So.2d 778, 781 (Miss. 1984).