Opinion ID: 478407
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence to Sustain Lopez's

Text: Convictions 12 Lopez challenges the sufficiency of the evidence by arguing that his convictions cannot be sustained because Mandel's testimony was uncorroborated. Mandel's testimony involving Lopez in the Wilkinson robbery was supported by eyewitness descriptions of the robbers and by Murphy's in-court identification. 1 Gutbezahl identified Lopez as one of his assailants in the Maraton extortion. However, only Mandel placed Lopez at the scene of the Wildberg robbery and implicated Lopez in the Parisienne extortion. 13 The uncorroborated testimony of an accomplice is enough to sustain a conviction unless the testimony is incredible or unsubstantial on its face. United States v. Whitten, 706 F.2d 1000, 1007 (9th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1100, 104 S.Ct. 1593, 80 L.Ed.2d 125 (1984); United States v. Escalante, 637 F.2d 1197, 1200 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 856, 101 S.Ct. 154, 66 L.Ed.2d 71 (1980). Lopez claims that Mandel's testimony was incredible because it was contradicted in certain respects and because Mandel was untrustworthy. However, Mandel's testimony was not incredible on its face; the jury could and did find it believable. Appellants presented extensive evidence impeaching Mandel. The jury was aware of the challenges to Mandel's credibility; nevertheless, it believed him. That was its proper prerogative. United States v. Clevenger, 733 F.2d 1356, 1359 (9th Cir.1984); Escalante, 637 F.2d at 1200. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, Clevenger, 733 F.2d at 1358, there was sufficient evidence that Lopez committed the crimes of which he was convicted. 14