Opinion ID: 2632445
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: ¶ 57 In a claim of insufficient evidence, a reviewing court examines whether ` any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt,' viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State. State v. Hughes, 154 Wash.2d 118, 152, 110 P.3d 192 (2005) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting State v. Green, 94 Wash.2d 216, 221, 616 P.2d 628 (1980)), overruled on other grounds by Washington v. Recuenco, ___ U.S. ___, 126 S.Ct. 2546, 165 L.Ed.2d 466 (2006). Determinations of credibility are for the fact finder and are not reviewable on appeal. Id. (citing State v. Camarillo, 115 Wash.2d 60, 71, 794 P.2d 850 (1990)).
¶ 58 Brockob challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction because he claims the State failed to prove that he had the specific intent to manufacture methamphetamine. He argues that he intended only to sell the Sudafed, not to manufacture methamphetamine with it. The State responds that it need only prove that Brockob had the Sudafed in his possession and that he possessed it with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. The State also insists that the statutory definition of the word manufacture [15] is broad enough to include the act of purchasing Sudafed and selling it to another person who plans to manufacture methamphetamine. [16] ¶ 59 Although not controlling, two Court of Appeals cases involving possession of pseudoephedrine or ephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine inform our analysis on the sufficiency of evidence issue for this case. State v. Moles, 130 Wash.App. 461, 123 P.3d 132 (2005); Whalen, 131 Wash. App. 58, 126 P.3d 55. ¶ 60 In Moles, police discovered several empty blister packs, a box of Suphedrine, a full package of pseudoephedrine, two sealed packages of Contac Cold Medicine, and almost 440 assorted loose pills in a stolen vehicle. 130 Wash.App. at 463-64, 123 P.3d 132. Police also recovered coffee filters, one with methamphetamine residue, from one of the defendant's pockets. Id. at 463, 466, 123 P.3d 132. Among other things, Moles was charged with possession with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Id. at 464, 123 P.3d 132. ¶ 61 In analyzing the facts, the Moles court initially declared that [b]are possession of a controlled substance is not enough to support an intent to manufacture conviction; at least one additional factor, suggestive of intent, must be present. Id. at 466, 123 P.3d 132 (emphasis added) (citing State v. McPherson, 111 Wash.App. 747, 759, 46 P.3d 284 (2002)). It noted that a person acts with intent when he acts with the objective or purpose to accomplish a result that constitutes a crime. Id. (citing RCW 9A.08.010(1)(a)). However, the court added that [a] person who knowingly plays a role in the manufacturing process can be guilty of manufacturing, even if someone else completes the process. Id. (citing State v. Davis, 117 Wash.App. 702, 708, 72 P.3d 1134 (2003)). It further stated that possession of 440 loose pills removed from their blister packs was sufficient to prove intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Id. The court concluded that two additional factors in that particular case suggested intent to manufacture, (1) coffee filters with methamphetamine residue, and (2) defendants acting in concert to purchase the maximum allowable amount of cold tablets from various stores. Id. ¶ 62 As noted earlier, Whalen involved the theft from a Target store of seven packages of nasal decongestant containing pseudoephedrine. 131 Wash.App. at 60-61, 126 P.3d 55. The court concluded that the State could prove only that Whalen intended to shoplift more than the legal amount of pseudoephedrine, pointing out that possession of more than the legal amount was merely a gross misdemeanor rather than a felony. Id. at 64 n. 5, 126 P.3d 55. ¶ 63 We find the Court of Appeals' reasoning in Moles and Whalen persuasive and find the facts here more comparable to Whalen than Moles. The record does not indicate whether Brockob took individual Sudafed tablets out of blister packs, as did the defendants in Moles. Nor does it indicate exactly how much Sudafed Brockob took because the State did not retain the Sudafed and neither LPO Chamberlin nor Officer Fecteau testified about how many Sudafed were in each package. Further, because Brockob's incriminating statement is inadmissible under the corpus delicti rule, the most we can infer from his actions is that he intended to shoplift a rather large quantity of Sudafed, as in Whalen. We may speculate that he intended to manufacture methamphetamine, but we have no evidence to support such speculation. ¶ 64 We conclude that absent Brockob's incriminating statement, no rational trier of fact would have found that the elements of the offense were proved beyond a reasonable doubt, even viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State. No rational jury would have found that Brockob intended to manufacture methamphetamine merely because he shoplifted some Sudafed, even though it is known to be used to manufacture methamphetamine, absent some other evidence. See Whalen, 131 Wash.App. at 64, 126 P.3d 55. While there is evidence that Brockob removed the Sudafed from the packages, he may have done so to sell them or steal them more easily. There is no indication that by removing them from the packages while in the store he intended to participate in methamphetamine manufacturing. He did not have any coffee filters or other equipment used in the manufacturing process. In short, nothing pointed to Brockob's intent to manufacture rather than merely possess Sudafed. We conclude there was insufficient evidence to support Brockob's conviction and reverse the trial court. As a result, we do not reach Brockob's unrelated issue.
¶ 65 Gonzales challenges the sufficiency of evidence supporting his conviction for attempt to manufacture methamphetamine. He argues that the State's case was merely a pyramiding of inferences drawn from the evidence of the tablets found in the vehicle and his incriminating statement to Officer Black. Br. of Appellant at 17. Gonzales also claims that the State failed to demonstrate the nexus between him and Lee that is required under the accomplice liability theory. ¶ 66 The State responds that a credibility determination is well within the jury's purview and argues that the circumstantial evidence presented here is deserving of the same weight as direct evidence. Moreover, the State points out that because the charge was only attempted manufacture of methamphetamine, it did not have to show that the manufacturing process was taking place at the time Black arrested Gonzales. It need only show that he was taking a substantial step toward it. ¶ 67 Four arguments favor finding that there was sufficient evidence to support Gonzales' conviction. First, the jury was at liberty to believe Gonzales' statement that he purchased the ephedrine for Lee to manufacture methamphetamine, which was properly admitted under the corpus delicti rule, and disbelieve Gonzales' trial testimony that he lied to Officer Black to protect his female companion. Second, the State is correct that Gonzales need not have begun the manufacturing process to be convicted of attempted manufacture of methamphetamine. He need only have taken some step toward that process. He had coffee filters and three bottles of ephedrine, [17] both of which are known to be used in the manufacturing process. Third, at least two of the three factors cited in Moles were present. Coffee filters were found on the backseat of the vehicle, and the amount of ephedrine in the vehicle seems excessive but for the likely connection to methamphetamine manufacturing. Fourth, Gonzales and his companion were apparently acting in concert to acquire the cold tablets. ¶ 68 We conclude there was sufficient evidence to support Gonzales' conviction and affirm the trial court.
¶ 69 Cobabe argues that no rational trier of fact would find that he committed robbery in the second degree when the testimony showed that he had permission to take the CD/DVD player, that he did not remove the player from the premises, and that the use of force was unrelated to the player. He essentially argues that the State failed to prove that something was stolen. ¶ 70 The State responds that ownership exists if the victim has actual possession of the property, citing State v. Latham, 35 Wash.App. 862, 864-65, 670 P.2d 689 (1983) for this proposition. It claims Stebelton effectively owned the CD/DVD player for the purposes of the robbery charge because Stebelton was undisputedly in possession of the CD/DVD player at the time of the incident. The State also argues it proved that force was used to take the player because Cobabe swung the flashlight and handcuffs at Stebelton when Cobabe tried to take the player. Lastly, the State argues that Cobabe took substantial steps toward completing the offense by dismantling the CD/DVD player from the television and wall. ¶ 71 The jury in this case was presented with two diametrically opposed versions of the events: one that suggested an innocent explanation and one that suggested a criminal one. It chose to believe that Cobabe did not have Whitlock's permission to take the CD/DVD player, despite Whitlock's testimony to the contrary and irrespective of whether Stebelton had constructive possession of the player. Additionally, in contrast to Brockob and Gonzales, Cobabe's incriminating statement to the detectives did not add significantly to the quantum of evidence against him. Stebelton testified at length about Cobabe's actions at trial, and he testified about Cobabe's statement that he wanted to take the CD/DVD player so Whitlock would come see him. Thus, even without Cobabe's incriminating statement to the detectives, there was more than enough evidence for a rational trier of fact to conclude that Cobabe intended to take the CD/DVD player without Whitlock's prior knowledge or permission and hold it until Whitlock came to see him. ¶ 72 We conclude there was sufficient evidence to support Cobabe's conviction and affirm the trial court.