Opinion ID: 2218950
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of Evidence on the Willful Injury Conviction.

Text: The willful injury charge against defendant was premised on the theory that he aided and abetted Black in shooting Dewey Lamp's mother. Defendant contends that the evidence was insufficient to permit a finding that he actively participated in or encouraged that act. In deciding this issue, we will apply the standard for aiding and abetting, which was approved in State v. Lott, 255 N.W.2d 105 (Iowa 1977). In that case, we declared that to be convicted of aiding and abetting there must be evidence that the defendant assent[ed] to or lent countenance and approval to the criminal act either by active participation in it or by some manner encouraging it prior to or at the time of its commission. Id. at 107. We believe that the State's evidence in the present case was sufficient for a jury to find that defendant aided and abetted Black under the standard approved in Lott. Once Black had announced his intention to shoot Dewey Lamp, it may fairly be inferred that the actions of those gang members accompanying him to the Lamp residence were actions encouraging the intended criminal act. The fact that the ultimate victim turned out to be Lamp's mother does not diminish the culpability that flows from this group activity. The evidence was sufficient to support the verdict of the jury.