Opinion ID: 854102
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Finally, Haak contends that there was insufficient evidence to support the convictions. In reviewing a sufficiency claim, we do not reweigh the evidence or assess the credibility of witnesses. If the probative evidence and reasonable inferences drawn from the evidence could have allowed a reasonable trier of fact to find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the judgment will not be set aside. Wooden v. State, 657 N.E.2d 109, 111 (Ind.1995). Larry Harth testified that he was approached by Murray Klebs about finding someone who would kill Pronger. Harth contacted Haak, who agreed to do the killing for $10,000. Acting as a middleman for Klebs, Harth gave Haak the money ($3000 in advance and $7000 afterwards). On the night of the killing, Harth dropped Haak off near Pronger's house and later helped Haak destroy the gun at Harth's house, where Haak indicated that he had shot Pronger as planned. Alvin McCarver, Timothy Weaver, and Linda Weaver all testified that Haak told them of his involvement within weeks of the event. This evidence alone, if credited, was sufficient to support the convictions. It was bolstered by the recorded conversations between Haak and McCarver at the Hammond Federal Building in 1994 in which Haak discussed his role in the murder-for-hire scheme. Haak suggests that his accusers were not worthy of belief because all testified by virtue of deals with the federal government and grants of immunity by the State. Although these factors are fair game in assessing witness credibility, that role was for the jury, which was aware of the conditions under which each witness testified because the agreements were admitted into evidence without objection. We decline Haak's invitation to second-guess the jury's apparent decision to credit the testimony of the accusing witnesses and to disbelieve Haak's version of events.