Opinion ID: 1924358
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: ¶ 58. A motion for jnov challenges the legal sufficiency of the evidence. McClain v. State, 625 So.2d 774, 778 (Miss. 1993). This Court will consider the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, giving the State the benefit of all favorable inference that may be reasonably drawn from the evidence. Coleman v. State, 697 So.2d 777, 787-88 (Miss.1997). We are authorized to reverse only where the facts so considered point so overwhelmingly in favor of the Montana that reasonable men could not have arrived at a contrary verdict. Id. ¶ 59. A review of the record before this Court does not reveal that it was so wanting for evidence that Montana was entitled to a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. We find the following evidence sufficient to warrant the trial court's refusal of Montana's motion for jnov. Montana admits that he fired a 9mm pistol. It is undisputed that Holloway was killed by a 9mm projectile. Although the bullet could not be conclusively linked to Montana's gun, Chris Hairston, who was in the driver's seat, testified that after the initial three-round burst of gunfire, he looked back and saw Montana point the gun at the minivan and that he then heard two additional shots and two windows breaking. Montana told law enforcement that to his knowledge no one else fired a single shot at the location of the crime, and no evidence was offered indicating that anyone else fired a weapon. ¶ 60. Montana argues that Hairston's testimony lacked credibility. Montana also points to conflicts in the testimony of various witnesses as to how the window in the back of the minivan was broken. Detective Steve Schlicht testified that he arrived at Stachura's residence around 1:45 A.M., and that he observed broken glass in the street just west of the driveway. On cross-examination, Schlicht admitted that he had no knowledge of whether that glass had been there prior to the shooting, and that to his knowledge no comparative tests were done to match the glass in the road to the minivan. As discussed previously, the veracity of witnesses and conflict in the testimony is for the jury to resolve. Evans v. State, 725 So.2d at 680-81; Wetz v. State, 503 So.2d at 812. The trial court did not err in denying Montana's motion for jnov.