Opinion ID: 162966
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Application of Jackson

Text: 47 As is apparent from the foregoing, we cannot conclude that the OCCA's application of Jackson v. Virginia was objectively unreasonable. See Bell v. Cone, 535 U.S. 685, 122 S.Ct. 1843, 1850, 152 L.Ed.2d 914 (2002) (a state court's unreasonable application of federal law must be objectively unreasonable, not merely incorrect); Williams, 529 U.S. at 412, 120 S.Ct. 1495. Mr. Torres' challenge is directed at the reasoning that led the OCCA to find sufficient evidence to support his murder convictions under the Jackson standard. Although a state court's reasoning does matter, ultimately, it is the reasonableness of the outcome that is paramount. As stated by the Second Circuit: 48 Although sound reasoning will enhance the likelihood that a state court's ruling will be determined to be a reasonable application of Supreme Court law, deficient reasoning will not preclude AEDPA deference, at least in the absence of an analysis so flawed as to undermine confidence that the constitutional claim has been fairly adjudicated. 49 Cruz v. Miller, 255 F.3d 77, 87 (2d Cir.2001) (citations omitted). 50 The OCCA reviewed the evidence presented by the prosecution, see Torres, 962 P.2d at 15-16, and found it sufficient. Although our discussion of intent includes additional evidence contained in the record, that in no way diminishes the deference we pay to the OCCA's result-after all, what matters is that the evidence support the OCCA's result. In a footnote, the OCCA also rejected Mr. Torres' argument that the facts of his case were analogous to two cases in which the evidence of intent to kill the victim was insufficient. See id. at 16 n. 40 (citing Sanders/Miller, 710 F.2d at 646-47 (10th Cir.1983), and Anderson v. State, 66 Okla.Crim. 291, 91 P.2d 794 (Okla.Ct.Crim.App.1939), and stating that in [those cases] the courts found there was no evidence to support premeditated design to kill). The OCCA then stated: Here, [Mr.] Torres' actions can support a finding of intent as discussed in Johnson v. State, 928 P.2d 309, 315 (Okla Ct.Crim. App.1996). 51 Johnson contains ample evidence of both announced intentions and objective acts demonstrating an intent to kill that we discussed in Wingfield. See 122 F.3d at 1333. As noted, this case does not contain evidence of announced intentions by Mr. Torres to kill the victims. But we do not think that the OCCA meant to support its result in this case by analogizing to the facts of Johnson. Rather, having set forth the evidence, it is more plausible that the OCCA intended to incorporate the fuller exposition of the requisite intent contained in Johnson. Regardless, even if the citation of Johnson was ambitious, we are concerned with the outcome of the sufficiency issue as to intent-and that outcome is not an unreasonable application of federal law. 52