Opinion ID: 1088164
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the trial court erred in denying defendant's motion for directed verdict and motion for judgment of acquittal and/or in the alternative a new trial due to insufficient evidence.

Text: Bounds contests the denial of his motion for directed verdict. However, when his motion was overruled, he proceeded with his case-in-chief. When the defendant proceeds with his case after the State rests and the court overrules the defendant's motion for a directed verdict, the defendant has waived the appeal of that directed verdict. Holland v. State, 656 So.2d 1192, 1197 (Miss. 1995). Bounds next contends the evidence presented by the State in this case was insufficient to establish that the defendant committed the offense of willful trespass. He argues that the evidence as presented by the State could only lead reasonable and fair minded jurors to a verdict of not guilty. Harveston v. State, 493 So.2d 365, 372 (Miss. 1986). When considering whether or not the verdict is contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence, this Court must accept the State's position, together with all inferences reasonably flowing therefrom, in the light most favorable to the State's theory of the case. Murrell v. State, 655 So.2d 881 (Miss. 1995), citing Britt v. State, 520 So.2d 1377, 1379 (Miss. 1988). The jury in this case heard two conflicting tales of the events that transpired on the night of February 16, 1993. The jurors observed the witnesses and heard their testimony. The verdict shows that the jury found the State and its witnesses to be more credible. If there is substantial evidence consistent with the verdict, evidence which is of such weight and quality that, keeping the burden of proof of beyond a reasonable doubt in mind, fairminded [jurors] in exercise of impartial judgment might reach different conclusions, the jury's verdict should be allowed. Ashford v. State, 583 So.2d 1279, 1281 (Miss. 1991), quoting Butler v. State, 544 So.2d 816, 819 (Miss. 1989). The Court finds that when taken in the light most favorable to the verdict, the evidence and the reasonable inferences therefrom would lead a reasonable and fairminded jury to conclude that Bounds was guilty of willful trespass. This argument is without merit.