Opinion ID: 1058965
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Testimony Regarding Terror in the Community

Text: Robert Saady, a convenience store operator in Ashland, Virginia testified at trial about the impact of the sniper shootings on his business, his employees, and other businesses in the Ashland area. Montgomery County Police Sergeant Robert Thompson testified at trial concerning the shootings in the Washington D.C. area. Muhammad argues in assignments of error 59 and 61 that Saady's testimony was irrelevant, speculative, and immaterial, and that Thompson's testimony was cumulative, irrelevant and immaterial. He argues that proof of actual fear in the community is not probative of Muhammad's intent. School officials in three different school systems also testified about the impact of the sniper shooting upon personnel, students and parents, and the operation of the schools. However, the only assignments of error before this Court involve the testimony of Saady and Thompson. With regard to Thompson, Muhammad objected only to specific questions not the overall nature of the testimony. None of those specific objections are made the subject of argument in his brief. With regard to Saady, Muhammad did object to the relevance of his testimony in its entirety. Section 18.2-46.4 required proof that Muhammad intended to intimidate the civilian population at large or ... influence the conduct or activities of the government ... through intimidation. It is an axiom of law and human behavior that one may infer that a person intends to produce the consequences reasonably anticipated from his acts. Wilson v. Commonwealth, 249 Va. 95, 101, 452 S.E.2d 669, 673, cert. denied, 516 U.S. 841, 116 S.Ct. 127, 133 L.Ed.2d 76 (1995); see also Mickens v. Commonwealth, 247 Va. 395, 408, 442 S.E.2d 678, 687, rev'd on other grounds, 513 U.S. 922, 115 S.Ct. 307, 130 L.Ed.2d 271 (1994); Green v. Commonwealth, 223 Va. 706, 711, 292 S.E.2d 605, 608 (1982); Barrett v. Commonwealth, 210 Va. 153, 156, 169 S.E.2d 449, 451 (1969). As such, testimony about what was actually and reasonably produced by Muhammad's conduct was relevant to prove his intent. The trial court did not err in permitting such testimony.