Opinion ID: 1886550
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Patterson's Sufficiency Challenge to APOWA Conviction

Text: Appellant Patterson argues that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction for APOWA. In considering a claim of insufficiency, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, recognizing the province of the trier of fact to weigh the evidence, determine the credibility of witnesses and draw reasonable inferences from the testimony, see Jeffrey v. United States, 892 A.2d 1122, 1130 (D.C.2006); Jones v. United States, 743 A.2d 1222, 1224 (D.C.2000), and draw no distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence. See In re CA. S., 828 A.2d 184, 188 (D.C.2003). To convict Patterson of APO, the government was required to prove that he (1) committed an assault, (2) using a dangerous weapon, (3) against a victim the defendant either knew or should have known was a police officer engaged in official duties. See Rivera v. United States, 941 A.2d 434, 440 (D.C. 2008); Parks v. United States, 627 A.2d 1, 4 (D.C.1993). Patterson argues that because the undercover officers were in plain clothes, and there was no evidence that Patterson actually heard or should have heard their verbal commands, the evidence was insufficient for a jury to find he knew that Stephenson and Wallace were MPD officers. Officers Stephenson and Wallace testified that they each issued multiple verbal commands, in a voice loud enough for Patterson to hear, in which they stated that they were police officers. There was also testimony that Patterson was approximately thirty to forty feet from Stephenson when Patterson pointed his .45 caliber pistol at the officer. The jury could, and inferably did, conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the distance between Patterson and the officers and the other attendant circumstances did not prevent Patterson from hearing the officers' commands and their statements that they were police officers. See Fletcher v. United States, 335 A.2d 248, 251 (D.C.1975) (officers' testimony that they identified themselves to defendant before he fired upon them sufficient for conviction of assaulting a police officer). We are satisfied that the evidence was sufficient to permit the jury to find Patterson guilty of APOWA.