Opinion ID: 1752176
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Deborah Lane Murder

Text: Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the State's evidence to support a finding that he killed Deborah Lane. Defendant's objection is in two parts. First, he argues the evidence is insufficient to prove he committed the act. Second, he insists that, even if this is found against him, there is insufficient evidence to establish his sanity and his ability to form the necessary intent at the time the act was committed. Under State v. Robinson, 288 N.W.2d 337, 340-41 (Iowa 1980) and the cases there relied on, the evidence must be such that a rational factfinder could find defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt after considering all the evidence in the case. We view the evidence in the light most favorable to the State. Id. Although this trial was held prior to our Robinson decision and it is doubtful whether defendant preserved the sufficiency-of-evidence issue now relied on, we have nevertheless considered Robinson as applicable and have reviewed the evidence accordingly. The events leading up to Deborah Lane's murder began on the evening of March 29, 1979, when defendant started a siege of drinking which lasted from 10:30 p. m., when he took his wife to work, until approximately 6:00 a. m. the next morning. During the night defendant played pool, played cards, engaged in a fight, and drank beer. After being up all night, he returned to his home about 6:30 on the morning of March 30th. He then took his brother to work and called his place of employment to say he would not report that day. His activities from about 6:40 a. m. (when he dropped his brother off at work) until shortly after 8:00 a. m. (when he returned home) remain unaccounted for. Deborah Lane lived with her husband in Waterloo. She was employed by the City. When she did not report for work on March 30, 1979, several fellow employees, after making unanswered phone calls in an effort to find her, went to her home, where they found her body at approximately 9:25 a. m. The evidence showed that a car similar to that owned by defendant was parked near the Lane garage at about 7:00 a. m.; that tire prints taken from the area were similar to the markings on the tires of defendant's car; that a footprint found on the premises was identical with markings made by defendant's shoe; that neither the footprint nor the plastic box cover on which it was found were there when the victim's husband left for work that morning; that the time of death could not be precisely fixed but could have occurred between 7:00 a. m. and 8:00 a. m., the period for which defendant's conduct was unexplained. There was also evidence that defendant knew the Lanes, had been in their home, and knew the victim would be alone at that time of the morning. All this evidence is circumstantial, but circumstantial evidence is just as compelling and just as convincing as direct evidence. State v. O'Connell, 275 N.W.2d 197, 204-05 (Iowa 1979). We believe there was substantial evidence from which a rational factfinder could find beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant's car was parked at the Lane home at the time of the murder; that it was his footprint found in the Lane home; that the footprint was made the morning of the murder between the time Mr. Lane left for work and the time the victim's body was found; and that defendant killed Mrs. Lane at that time and place. We discuss the question of defendant's sanity and the defense of diminished responsibility later.