Opinion ID: 2466731
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Appellant's first argument for reversal is that there is insufficient evidence to support the jury's verdicts against her. Appellant contends that the proof at trial was insufficient to establish that she had acted with the requisite mental state of purposely acting to promote or facilitate the crimes. We disagree. When a defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence convicting her, the evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the state. Bailey v. State, 334 Ark. 43, 972 S.W.2d 239 (1998). Evidence, whether direct or circumstantial, is sufficient to support a conviction if it is forceful enough to compel reasonable minds to reach a conclusion one way or the other. Wilson v. State, 332 Ark. 7, 962 S.W.2d 805 (1998). We do not, however, weigh the evidence presented at trial, as that is a matter for the factfinder; nor will we weigh the credibility of the witnesses. Id. Only evidence supporting the verdict will be considered. Bailey, 334 Ark. 43, 972 S.W.2d 239. Appellant and the three codefendants were charged as accomplices to the crimes. An accomplice is defined as: one who, with the purpose of promoting or facilitating the commission of an offense, either solicits, advises, encourages, or coerces another person to commit the offense, aids, agrees to aid, or attempts to aid the other person in planning or committing the offense, or, having a legal duty to prevent the offense, fails to make a proper effort to prevent the commission of the offense. Williams v. State, 329 Ark. 8, 16, 946 S.W.2d 678, 682 (1997) (citing Ark.Code Ann. § 5-2-403 (Repl.1993)). A defendant's presence at the crime scene or failure to inform law enforcement officers of a crime does not make one an accomplice as a matter of law. Id. Relevant factors in determining the connection of an accomplice to a crime are: (1) the presence of the accused in proximity of a crime, (2) the opportunity to commit the crime, and (3) an association with a person involved in the crime in a manner suggestive of joint participation. Britt v. State, 334 Ark. 142, 974 S.W.2d 436 (1998). In order to sustain a conviction of capital felony murder, it is not necessary that the defendant be shown to have taken an active part in the killing as long as he or she was an accomplice and had the requisite intent to commit the underlying felony. Id. Appellant was arrested in November 1996 and gave two interviews to police at that time. Investigator Dewayne Luter of the Arkansas State Police testified that he interviewed Appellant on November 19, and that she made the following statements. Appellant and Cook had driven to Maumelle on July 25, 1996, to pick up Chris Johnson, whom she called Chaos, and a male known to her as Mr. P, later identified as Patrick Walker. The four of them drove back to the house on Alexander Street in Menifee. Appellant then telephoned Larry Flakes to ask him to come over, because Flakes was going to give some money to her, so that she and Cook could go to a funeral out of state. Appellant was in the bedroom when she heard a vehicle arrive and someone come into the house; she was still in the bedroom when she heard gunshots. About five minutes later, Appellant came out of the bedroom and saw Larry Flakes lying on the floor. Appellant saw Johnson use his foot to turn Larry over onto his back; Johnson then took money and some dope from Larry's body. They then took a sheet off the couch and wrapped it over Larry and loaded the body into Larry's Blazer. Appellant and Cook stayed at the house and cleaned up the blood while Johnson and Walker left in Larry's Blazer. Johnson and Walker were gone for fifteen to twenty minutes, and when they came back, Johnson was very excited and hyper and told Appellant and Cook that he had shot a woman. Johnson told them that he made the girl wake up Larry's mother and then shot her. Johnson and Walker left again in Larry's Blazer and Appellant and Cook took their vehicle and met up with Johnson and Walker in Maumelle, on the side of an old country road. Johnson then proceeded to take some items from the Blazer, namely rifles, shotguns, and some clothes that Larry Flakes had been selling, and loaded them into the trunk of the car occupied by Appellant and Cook. They then poured some liquor on the Blazer, and Johnson set the vehicle on fire. Appellant and Cook took Walker and Johnson to their respective houses; Johnson took the clothes and guns with him. Afterwards, Appellant and Cook went to Cook's grandmother's house for a few minutes and then drove around Conway for awhile, where they were stopped by the police. Finally, Appellant and Cook returned to the house on Alexander Street. Investigator Luter stated that the following day, November 20, 1996, Appellant contacted him about her previous statement. He stated that during that interview, Appellant told him that Cook had not stayed at the residence with her, but had actually left with Johnson and Walker in Larry's Blazer, while she stayed at the house alone and cleaned up the blood. He stated that Appellant also told him that Walker had a black-handled knife. Conway County Sheriff Mark Flowers, who was present during the two interviews with Appellant, testified that during those interviews, Appellant appeared calm and never talked about being scared of anyone, or about needing any protection from anyone. Cassandra Baskin, who lived at 10 Alexander Street in Menifee, testified about her relationship with Appellant. Baskin stated that Appellant had lived with her in 1994 and 1995 and had gone to school with Baskin's children. For about two weeks in May 1996, Appellant and Cook moved in with Baskin. During that time, Baskin introduced Appellant to Larry Flakes at Flakes's house on Highway 64. While the three of them were inside the house, Baskin concluded that Appellant and Flakes were engaged in sexual activity. The night before the bodies were discovered, around midnight, Baskin had been to a club owned by David Hood in Menifee. She saw Larry Flakes there talking with Hood. Approximately an hour or an hour and one-half later, Baskin saw Larry Flakes's Blazer followed by Appellant and Cook's vehicle traveling down Alexander Street toward Highway 64. Baskin watched as the two vehicles turned onto Interstate 40. Baskin stated that the last time she saw Larry Flakes alive was at the club. Angela McGowan testified that she had shared a cell with Appellant in the Conway County Jail and that Appellant had talked to her about the homicides. Appellant told McGowan that they had obtained the gun from a man named Fat Mack, and that the gun had later been thrown in a field in Maumelle. On separate occasions, Appellant told McGowan that different people had shot the victimsone time Appellant stated that Chris Johnson did it, and another time she stated that Patrick Walker did it. Appellant told McGowan that they had shot Debra Yancy, Larry Flakes's girlfriend, and that Yancy had tried to run, but they ran over her with the car. Appellant also told McGowan that they took Larry Flakes's Blazer to Maumelle and burned it. When asked by the prosecutor if Appellant had told her about any money being recovered, McGowan stated that Appellant told her that there was a bag of money, but that they never did get it. McGowan stated that during the times that she talked with Appellant about the crimes, she formed the impression that Appellant was part of the plan. McGowan stated further that during their conversations, Appellant never told her that she was scared of anyone. Scarlet Dehart testified that she, too, had shared a cell with Appellant in the Conway County Jail for about seven weeks. Dehart stated that Appellant first told her that she did not have anything to do with the murders, but later changed her position. Dehart stated that on the day that Appellant made her first court appearance, Appellant came back from court mad because she thought that she was going to get out of jail. Appellant told Dehart that the cops were stupid, that they did not know what they were doing, and that she did know something about the crimes. Dehart stated that about one week later, Appellant became really upset about an accusation, apparently made by her mother, that she had slept with Larry Flakes. Appellant told Dehart that she had been involved with Flakes, but that no one could prove it. Appellant also told her that she had only slept with Flakes on one occasion, after she had done two lines of cocaine. On another occasion, Appellant again told Dehart that the police officers were stupid, because they thought the gun used was a 9 mm, but that it was actually a Tec-9. On another date, while Appellant and Dehart were in court, Appellant commented that a defense attorney reminded her of Fat Mack, the man that had provided them the gun. Appellant later told Dehart that David Hood had hired them for $2,000 each to take care of Larry, because Larry had failed to turn over some drug money and also owed money to Hood for outstanding amounts of drugs. Dehart stated that Appellant described her participation in the crimes as follows. The defendants went to the place where Larry Flakes was and they busted in on him. Greg Cook had the gun. Flakes said that he had not done anything to them and that he would give them whatever they wanted. Flakes then began talking to Cook about Appellant, calling her derogatory names and saying that she was not worth it. Appellant then went over to Cook and said, Let me do it. Cook handed her the gun. Appellant pointed the gun between Flakes's eyes and said, Now, talk shit. Flakes then said, No, don't do this, but Cook said, Do it. Cook shot Dorothy Flakes between the eyes while she was asleep; Chris Johnson shot the girl, Debra Yancy, in the back and then ran over her. They took Larry Flakes's Blazer to Lake Maumelle and burned it, using liquor to ignite it, so that any remaining fingerprints would not be discovered. They also took about $50,000 from the Flakes home, but did not give the money to David Hood; instead, they kept the money for themselves, telling Hood that they did not find any money. Cook kept his and Appellant's share of the money and later used it to hire his attorney. Dehart stated that Appellant was mad about that because she was not able to hire an attorney and, instead, had to have the public defender. Dehart testified further that Appellant had talked to her about being in a gang and had explained to her the different levels of disciples in the gang. Appellant told Dehart that she was a Hoover Disciple and that Cook was a Black Disciple. Appellant told her that she shot Flakes in order to position herself in Cook's gang as his queen. Appellant also told her that she did it to earn respect from Cook for standing up for her man and proving that she did not have anything to do with Larry Flakes. Dehart stated that while Appellant was telling her about the gang information, Appellant was boastful. Dehart stated further that Appellant bragged about the crimes, and that Appellant didn't have any remorse in what was done, that, you know, when the young woman's head got run over, that was a game[.] Appellant took the stand in her defense and related the following information to the jury. She testified that she and Cook picked up Johnson and Walker in Maumelle and brought them back to Menifee because Johnson wanted to buy some drugs from Larry Flakes. She stated that she had seen Johnson with a gun while they were in Maumelle, but that she did not know that he brought it with him to Menifee. Contrary to what she told Investigator Luter about Flakes bringing her some money to go out of state, Appellant stated that the reason she called Flakes that night was so he could bring over some drugs to sell to Johnson. She stated that Johnson told her to clean up the blood and that she was afraid of him because he had a gun in his hand and because he had once threatened to break her cousin's neck. She admitted, however, that she and Cook later met up with Johnson and Walker on a dirt road in Maumelle, and that they took Johnson and Walker home after Johnson had burned the Blazer. She stated that they put the stolen clothes and guns in the storage shed. She stated that when she was initially arrested she denied any involvement or knowledge of the shootings because she was scared of Johnson and what he might do to her mother or her little brother. She asserted that she only later admitted to being present when the murder occurred, because the police had assured her that Johnson was in jail and was not able to get to her mother. On cross-examination, Appellant stated that she knew Larry Flakes carried large sums of money, and that she had sometimes counted the money for him. She again asserted that Johnson told her to clean up the blood and that he was holding the gun when he told her this. Appellant stated: I was going to do what he said.... Even when he wasn't there.... He's got gang friends. They know where my mother stay [ sic ]. She then stated that although she knew gang members, she was not in a gang, but that Johnson was in a gang. When asked why her statement to police made no mention of her claim that she had called Larry Flakes over to the Alexander Street house to sell some drugs to Johnson, as opposed to calling him to borrow some money to go to an out-of-state funeral, Appellant claimed that she had told the police, but they did not write it down. On rebuttal, Stephanie Russell testified that she had shared a cell with Appellant at the Conway County Jail and that Appellant had asked her about different members of the Flakes family. Russell stated that Appellant told her that the Flakes family had better hope that she didn't get out of jail, and that if she did she was going to call some of her homies ... and that she would have Menifee wiped off the map. Based on the foregoing evidence, we conclude that there was sufficient evidence presented at trial showing that Appellant had acted with the purpose of promoting or facilitating the robbery of Larry Flakes, and that she assisted or aided in the commission of the crimes for which she was convicted. There was sufficient evidence that Appellant was the one who telephoned Larry Flakes and lured him to the Alexander Street house, where he met his death. There was also evidence, including Appellant's own testimony, that she cleaned up the blood after Larry Flakes was killed and then helped dispose of the evidence, including the destruction of the victim's Blazer. Moreover, the jury heard testimony from Angela McGowan and Scarlet Dehart concerning Appellant's willful participation in the crimes from beginning to end. The jury has the sole authority to evaluate the credibility of witnesses and to apportion the weight to be given to the evidence. Parker v. State, 333 Ark. 137, 968 S.W.2d 592 (1998). It is for the jury to resolve any questions of conflicting testimony and inconsistent evidence, and the jury may choose to believe the State's version of the facts over the defendant's. Id.; Sanford v. State, 331 Ark. 334, 962 S.W.2d 335 (1998).