Opinion ID: 1271831
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Taken Alive asserts the government never proved Taken Alive committed manslaughter. Voluntary manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice. . . . Upon a sudden quarrel or heat of passion. 18 U.S.C. § 1112. Taken Alive contends (1) no one witnessed Taken Alive beat up Elling and many other possible causes exist for Elling's injuries; (2) no evidence explains what happened to Elling between the date of the altercation and the discovery of Elling's body weeks later; and (3) the location of the fight and the location where Elling's body was found were inexplicably too far apart. We review de novo the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a conviction, examining the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury verdict and giving the verdict the benefit of all reasonable inferences. See United States v. Wintermute, 443 F.3d 993, 1003 (8th Cir.2006). We will reverse the jury verdict only if no reasonable jury could have found [Taken Alive] guilty. United States v. Montano, 506 F.3d 1128, 1132 (8th Cir.2007) (citation omitted). The jury heard Red Fox's testimony (1) Taken Alive was fighting with Elling when Elling was last seen alive; (2) Taken Alive returned to the vehicle alone and drove off; and (3) Taken Alive profanely dismissed Red Fox's inquiries as to Elling and his condition and whereabouts. Further, the jury heard Taken Alive's niece testify Taken Alive mumbled I fucking kicked his ass the day Elling disappeared. The jury also heard Taken Alive's cousin testify Taken Alive admitted to beating up Elling earlier that day. Along with the testimony regarding Taken Alive's beating of Elling on the last day Elling was seen alive, the jury also heard the forensic pathologist's testimony regarding the state of Elling's injuries injuries consistent with a severe beating by kicking making it nearly impossible, for Elling to move or breathe and thereby unable to seek assistance, ultimately leading to Elling's death from exposure. Thus, the jury heard evidence of Taken Alive's assault of Elling which resulted directly in Elling's death. As to the location, Red Fox was not clear where the assault of Elling took place. However, one of the reasonably possible locations was near where Elling's body was discovered. The jury resolved this factual dispute and inconsistency against Taken Alive. We conclude Taken Alive's conviction for manslaughter is supported by more than sufficient evidence.