Opinion ID: 1804781
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Defendant maintains the district court erred when it overruled defendant's motion to dismiss on grounds that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction. In determining whether evidence is sufficient to sustain a conviction in a jury trial, an appellate court does not resolve conflicts in the evidence, pass on the credibility of witnesses, evaluate explanations, or reweigh the evidence presented to the jury, which are within a jury's province for disposition. A verdict in a criminal case must be sustained if the evidence, viewed and construed most favorably to the State, is sufficient to support that verdict. Moreover, on such a claim, an appellate court will not set aside a guilty verdict in a criminal case where such verdict is supported by relevant evidence. Only where evidence lacks sufficient probative force as a matter of law may an appellate court set aside a guilty verdict as unsupported by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Connely, 243 Neb. 319, 499 N.W.2d 65 (1993). The evidence, when viewed in a light most favorable to the State, establishes that on December 27, 1991, defendant, while not acting in self-defense, intentionally killed Patricia Cool. It also establishes that he proximately caused the death of Cool by using a firearm. The evidence further establishes that defendant took and exercised control over a movable 1992 Oldsmobile, which was owned by Ray and Helen Holroyd, with the intent to deprive them of that automobile and that the automobile had a market value of $24,052. The evidence presented at trial was sufficient to convict defendant, consistent with the jury's verdict.