Opinion ID: 864940
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: weight/sufficiency of the evidence and

Text: DENIAL OF PEREMPTORY INSTRUCTION.
¶12. To determine whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain a conviction in the face of a motion for directed verdict or for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, the critical inquiry is whether the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that accused committed the act charged, and that he did so under such circumstances that every element of the offense existed; and where the evidence fails to meet this test it is insufficient to support a conviction. Carr v. State, 208 So. 2d 886, 889 (Miss. 1968). The relevant question is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 315, 99 S. Ct. 2781, 61 L. Ed. 2d 560 (1979). ¶13. Considering the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, we find that there was sufficient evidence to convict Jones of attempted burglary of a dwelling. Jones was seen with a knife outside the victim’s house. Then he began banging on the front door with such force 6 that objects on the walls of the entrance hall crashed to the floor and the peephole which had been installed in the door was catapulted out of the door. No reasonable person with a brokendown car who needed help would approach a house in the same manner. In light of these facts, we find that any rational juror could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that all of the elements2 had been met by the State in proving attempted burglary of a dwelling. This issue is without merit.
¶14. When reviewing a denial of a motion for a new trial based on an objection to the weight of the evidence, we will only disturb a verdict when it is so contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence that to allow it to stand would sanction an unconscionable injustice. Herring v. State, 691 So. 2d 948, 957 (Miss. 1997). The evidence should be weighed in the light most favorable to the verdict. Id. The standard of review for denial of peremptory instructions is the same. Walker v. State, 881 So. 2d 820, 830 (Miss. 2004). ¶15. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, we cannot say that an unconscionable injustice resulted from this jury's rendering of a guilty verdict. In addition to the above-recited evidence, testimony at trial revealed that Jones had burglarized many homes in the past. His actions on the day in question undoubtedly show that he was attempting the burglarize the dwelling in question. Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, we 2 The elements of burglary of an inhabited dwelling as defined in Miss. Code Ann. § 97-17-23 (Rev. 2000) are: (a) breaking and entering the dwelling house or inner door of such dwelling house of another, (b) with intent to commit some crime. 7 cannot say that the evidence preponderates heavily against the jury's decision to find Jones guilty of attempted burglary. This issue is without merit.