Opinion ID: 1197841
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Appellant contends that Appellee State of Wyoming did not present sufficient evidence for the jury to convict her of either the accessory-before-the-fact charge or the burglary charge. She asserts that the State did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she harbored the requisite intent for her to be found guilty of either crime. Our standard for reviewing sufficiency-of-the-evidence claims is well established. This Court assesses whether all the evidence which was presented is adequate enough to form the basis for a reasonable inference of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to be drawn by a finder of fact when that evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the State. Hodges v. State, 904 P.2d 334, 339 (Wyo.1995); Baier v. State, 891 P.2d 754, 761 (Wyo.1995). We will not substitute our judgment for that of the jury when we are applying this rule; our only duty is to determine whether a quorum of reasonable and rational individuals would, or even could, have come to the same result as the jury actually did. Id.
Appellant claims that the State did not present sufficient evidence at her trial for the jury to convict her of accessory before the fact to burglary. She asserts that the evidence did not establish that she knowingly acted as a lookout for the boys while they burglarized the junior high school or that she knew what the boys were going to do while they were inside the building. Section 6-1-201(a) provides: (a) A person who knowingly aids or abets in the commission of a felony, or who counsels, encourages, hires, commands or procures a felony to be committed, is an accessory before the fact. Section 6-3-301(a) provides: (a) A person is guilty of burglary if, without authority, he enters or remains in a building, occupied structure or vehicle, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof, with intent to commit larceny or a felony therein. Under Wyoming law, one who aids and abets another in the commission of a felony is as culpable as the principal is. Jahnke v. State, 692 P.2d 911, 920-21 (Wyo.1984). To convict a person of aiding and abetting in the commission of a crime, the prosecution must prove that the crime in question was committed by someone and that the person charged as an aider and abettor associated himself with and participated in the accomplishment and success of the criminal venture. Jones v. State, 902 P.2d 686, 693 (Wyo.1995) (quoting Virgilio v. State, 834 P.2d 1125, 1127 (Wyo.1992)). In order to be convicted, the aider and abettor must share the principal's criminal intent, but the prosecution is not required to prove that the aider and abettor possessed the identical intent to that possessed by the principal. Jahnke, 692 P.2d at 921. In Haight v. State, 654 P.2d 1232 (Wyo. 1982), we upheld the defendant's conviction for aiding and abetting because the evidence which had been presented at the trial was sufficient for the jury to infer that the defendant knew what the principals were doing and that he had acted as a lookout for them. 654 P.2d at 1238. The evidence presented at the trial in this case showed that Appellant was aware of the plan to break into the high school. One of the boys testified that he wanted to break into the high school so that he could steal money to use in buying drugs. He was the boy who was carrying the duffle bag. Appellant contributed to the plan by telling the others that she could recognize the money box which was kept at the concession stand. Appellant was also aware that one boy had stolen a van on the way to the junior high school. From this evidence, the jury certainly could have inferred that Appellant knew that the boys possessed an intent to commit larceny when they entered the junior high school. One of the boys stated that he had told Appellant and the other girl to act as lookouts while the boys were in the junior high school. The evidence also revealed that Appellant remained outside the building and responded to the boys' request for her to take some of the stolen goods when they handed them out through the window. The jury was justified in inferring that Appellant had acted as a lookout for the boys while they were burglarizing the junior high school. Sufficient evidence, therefore, supported Appellant's conviction for accessory before the fact to the boys' burglary of the junior high school.
Appellant also asserts that the State did not present sufficient evidence for the jury to convict her of burglary of the high school because it did not establish that she had the requisite intent to commit larceny when she entered the high school. In order for a defendant to be found guilty of burglary, the State must prove that a person 1) entered a building without authority, 2) with the intent to commit larceny or a felony. Dreiman v. State, 825 P.2d 758, 760 (Wyo. 1992). The evidence presented at the trial established that Appellant accompanied the boys to the high school in the van which she knew had been stolen. She was aware of the original plan to steal items from the high school, and she assisted in the formation of that plan by volunteering the information about the money box which was kept in the concession stand. Appellant also knew that the boys had stolen items from inside the junior high school. The evidence was, therefore, sufficient for the jury to infer that she intended to commit larceny upon entering the high school.