Opinion ID: 1791733
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Was the evidence insufficient to support the verdict of guilty?

Text: RoseMarie complains that the lower court erred in giving jury instruction S-1 for the reason that it is not supported by evidence. Instruction S-1 follows: The Court instructs the Jury that one who willfully, unlawfully and feloniously aids, abets, assists or other wise encourages the commission of a crime is just as guilty under the law as if he or she had committed the whole crime with his or her own hand. The evidence favorable to the State reflects that RoseMarie, upset about her husband's being robbed during a drug deal, went to the Dodge City nightclub in a van with Scrivner and Mowdy and shot six people. The evidence was uncontradicted that the shots which injured the six persons came from the van, owned by RoseMarie, in which RoseMarie was present at the time. Scrivner and Mowdy denied placing the rifle in RoseMarie's van. RoseMarie admitted that she was in the van at the time of the shooting but asserted that Mowdy was the trigger man. From all the evidence presented at the trial, the jury reasonably might have concluded that, although RoseMarie was not the trigger man, she was present, aiding and abetting the crime since she had encouraged Scrivner and Mowdy to go back to the Dodge City nightclub for the purpose of committing the aforesaid crime and/or by providing the gun used in the crime, and by directing the van to the scene of the crime. While we recognize that all jury instructions should be supported by evidence, we are of the opinion that the evidence here sufficiently warrants the instruction on aiding and abetting. Brazile v. State, 514 So.2d 325 (Miss. 1987); Craft v. State, 214 Miss. 752, 59 So.2d 343 (Miss. 1952). [2] Issue number three is resolved against RoseMarie. RoseMarie last contends that there was not sufficient evidence to support her conviction on six (6) counts of aggravated assault. The facts of this case as set forth hereinabove, are not contradicted except by the one claim of RoseMarie that Mowdy fired the shots instead of her. Of course, this constituted an issue for the jury to determine, which the jury resolved against RoseMarie. It is elementary that, if there is substantial evidence in the record to support the verdict of guilt, this Court lacks the authority to disturb that verdict. McFee v. State, 511 So.2d 130 (Miss. 1987); See also Gavin v. State, 473 So.2d 952 (Miss. 1985); May v. State, 460 So.2d 778 (Miss. 1984). Issue number four is resolved against the appellant. There being no reversible error in the record, the judgment of the lower court is affirmed. CONVICTION OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND SENTENCE OF TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AFFIRMED. HAWKINS, and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, ROBERTSON, SULLIVAN, PITTMAN, BANKS and McRAE, JJ., concur.