Opinion ID: 532146
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 33 Benefield next argues that the district court erred in refusing to grant a motion for judgement of acquittal. He argues that the government's evidence was insufficient to prove that he purchased the food stamps. We review this claim by asking whether a reasonable trier of fact could find that the evidence established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Bell, 678 F.2d 547, 549 (5th Cir. Unit B) (en banc), 6 aff'd on other grounds, 462 U.S. 356, 103 S.Ct. 2398, 76 L.Ed.2d 638 (1983). In conducting this review, we consider the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942). 34 The record reveals ample evidence that would allow a reasonable jury to conclude that Benefield purchased the food stamps. The two witnesses testified that it was Benefield who had purchased the food stamps. Although one of the witnesses, Larry Knight, was at the time of the purchase addicted to cocaine and marijuana, the other witness, Larry Scarlett, had been employed by the U.S.D.A. as a special investigator for approximately five years at the time he witnessed the transaction. Both of the witnesses were present at the time of the purchase. Although the defendant testified that he had never previously met Scarlett or Knight and that he had not purchased food stamps from Knight, the jury chose not to believe him. After an examination of the record we cannot conclude that a reasonable jury could not have found Benefield guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 35