Opinion ID: 1917594
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Legal Sufficiency and Overwhelming Weight of the Evidence

Text: ¶ 30. Hawthorne asserts that the jury verdict is not legally sufficient nor supported by the weight of the evidence to sustain his murder conviction due to inconsistencies in witnesses' testimony offered at trial. ¶ 31. On the issue of legal sufficiency, reversal can only occur when evidence of one or more of the elements of the charged offense is such that reasonable and fair minded jurors could only find the accused not guilty. Wetz v. State, 503 So.2d 803, 808 (Miss.1987). The standard of review for a denial of a directed verdict, peremptory instruction and a J.N.O.V. are identical. Coleman v. State, 697 So.2d 777, 787 (Miss.1997). In McClain v. State, 625 So.2d 774, 778 (Miss.1993), this Court held that a motion for J.N.O.V., motion for directed verdict and a request for peremptory instruction challenge the legal sufficiency of the evidence. Since each requires consideration of the evidence before the court when made, this Court properly reviews the ruling on the last occasion the challenge was made in the trial court. This occurred when the circuit court overruled [the] motion for JNOV. Id. at 778 (citing Wetz v. State, 503 So.2d 803, 807-08 (Miss.1987)). ¶ 32. In regard to the weight of the evidence, it is well established that matters regarding the weight of the evidence are to be resolved by the jury. Neal v. State, 451 So.2d 743, 758 (Miss. 1984). The court is bound by the jury findings upon an issue presented by the instruction requested by the [defendant]. Kinney v. State, 336 So.2d 493, 496 (Miss. 1976). A motion for new trial challenges the weight of the evidence. Sheffield v. State, 749 So.2d 123, 127 (Miss.1999). A reversal is warranted only if the trial court abused its discretion in denying a motion for new trial. Id. (citing Gleeton v. State, 716 So.2d 1083 (Miss.1998)). This Court held in McFee v. State, 511 So.2d 130, 133 (Miss.1987), that it has limited authority to interfere with a jury verdict. The Court looks at all the evidence in the light most consistent with the jury verdict. Id. The prosecution is given the benefit of all favorable inferences that may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. Id. The Court in McFee stated that: [I]f there is in the record substantial evidence of such quality and weight that, having in mind the beyond a reasonable doubt burden of proof standard, reasonable and fair-minded jurors in the exercise of impartial judgement might have reached different conclusions, the verdict of guilty is thus placed beyond our authority to disturb. Id. at 133-34. See also May v. State, 460 So.2d 778, 781 (Miss.1984). ¶ 33. A new trial will not be granted unless the verdict is so contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence that an unconscionable injustice would occur by allowing the verdict to stand. Groseclose v. State, 440 So.2d 297, 300 (Miss. 1983). See also Danner v. State, 748 So.2d 844, 846 (Miss.Ct.App.1999). However, if a jury verdict convicting a defendant is against the overwhelming weight of the evidence, then the remedy is to grant a new trial. Collier v. State, 711 So.2d 458, 461 (Miss.1998). ¶ 34. As to the credibility of witnesses, this Court in Gathright v. State, 380 So.2d 1276 (Miss.1980), has held that in a criminal prosecution the jury may accept the testimony of some witnesses and reject that of others, and that they may accept in part and reject in part the evidence on behalf of the state or on behalf of the accused. In other words, the credibility of witnesses is not for the reviewing court. Gathright, 380 So.2d at 1278 (citing Davis v. State, 320 So.2d 789 (Miss.1975)). ¶ 35. In the case sub judice, the evidence met the legal sufficiency test and the weight of the evidence test for a denial of the motion for J.N.O.V. and motion for new trial. Sufficient testimony was offered to support the murder conviction. The testimony established that Hawthorne went looking for Seldon. Hawthorne was upset that Seldon had stolen money from him. ¶ 36. Hawthorne borrowed Williams's car and then left with Autman and Stewart. When Autman spotted Seldon, Hawthorne turned the car around to pull in beside Seldon's truck. Seldon was sitting in the passenger seat of his truck. Hawthorne got out the car and stood beside Seldon's truck. Seldon remained seated in the truck. ¶ 37. Barrett was in the driver's seat of Seldon's truck. Hawthorne ordered Barrett to turn off the truck. An argument ensued between Hawthorne and Seldon. Hawthorne pulled his gun on Seldon. Hawthorne shot Seldon while he was still sitting in the truck. ¶ 38. Hawthorne claimed he never intended to shoot Seldon, and he brought the gun only for his own protection. Hawthorne alleged that Seldon tried to grab his gun which caused it to fire. No other witness confirmed Hawthorne's account of how the gun fired. However, there is no contradiction that Hawthorne did bring and fire the gun. ¶ 39. Dr. McGarry testified that Seldon's cause of death was the gunshot wound to his jaw which caused damage to his spinal cord and totally opened a major artery to his brain. ¶ 40. This Court has held that deliberate design may be inferred from the use of a deadly weapon. Carter v. State, 722 So.2d 1258, 1263 (Miss.1998). See also Mitchell v. State, 803 So.2d 479, 484 (Miss. Ct.App.2001). ¶ 41. We find that there is sufficient evidence in the record to support the jury's verdict finding Hawthorne guilty of murder. Furthermore, it is clear that a reasonable, fairminded juror could find beyond a reasonable doubt that Hawthorne was guilty of Seldon's murder. Therefore, we find that there was ample evidence presented for the jury to find deliberate design. This issue is without merit.