Opinion ID: 1720938
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence: convictions

Text: The defendant first challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the convictions for first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder. Specifically, with respect to the conviction for first degree murder, the defendant argues that the State did not offer any evidence to establish deliberation or to establish that the defendant had the opportunity to reflect upon her actions at a time when her mind was free from the influence of excitement or passion. The defendant also maintains that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the conviction for conspiracy to commit first degree murder. In analyzing the defendant's assertions, we are guided by the following well-settled principles of law. A guilty verdict by the jury, approved by the trial court, accredits the testimony of the witnesses for the State and resolves all conflicts in favor of the prosecution's theory. State v. Grace, 493 S.W.2d 474, 476 (Tenn.1973). A verdict of guilt removes the presumption of innocence and replaces it with a presumption of guilt, and the defendant has the burden of illustrating why the evidence is insufficient to support the jury's verdict. State v. Tuggle, 639 S.W.2d 913, 914 (Tenn.1982). Questions concerning the credibility of witnesses, the weight and value to be given the evidence, as well as all factual issues raised by the evidence are resolved by the trier of fact. This Court does not reweigh or reevaluate the evidence. State v. Cabbage, 571 S.W.2d 832, 835 (Tenn.1978). Nor may this Court substitute its inferences for those drawn by the trier of fact from circumstantial evidence. Liakas v. State, 199 Tenn. 298, 305, 286 S.W.2d 856, 859 (1956). Therefore, on appeal, the State is entitled to the strongest legitimate view of the trial evidence and all reasonable and legitimate inferences which may be drawn from the evidence. Consequently, in considering the defendant's claim that the evidence is not sufficient, we must determine, after reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, whether any rational trier of fact could have found the defendant guilty of premeditated first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder beyond a reasonable doubt. Tenn. R.App. P. 13(e); Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); State v. Cazes, 875 S.W.2d 253 (Tenn.1994).
At the time this killing occurred, first-degree murder was defined as an intentional, premeditated and deliberate killing of another. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-202(a)(1) (1991). Intentional was defined as the conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or cause the result. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-11-106(18) (1991 Repl.). Premeditated act, on the other hand, meant an act done after the exercise of reflection and judgment. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-201(b)(2) (1991 Repl.). Finally, [d]eliberate act was defined as one performed with cool purpose. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-201(b)(1) (1991 Repl.). The elements of premeditation and deliberation are questions for the jury which may be established by proof of the circumstances surrounding the killing. State v. Bland, 958 S.W.2d 651, 660 (Tenn.1997); State v. Brown, 836 S.W.2d 530, 539 (Tenn.1992). There are several factors which tend to support the existence of these elements which include: the use of a deadly weapon upon an unarmed victim; the particular cruelty of the killing; declarations by the defendant of an intent to kill; evidence of procurement of a weapon; preparations before the killing for concealment of the crime, and calmness immediately after the killing. Bland, 958 S.W.2d at 660; Brown, 836 S.W.2d at 541-42; State v. West, 844 S.W.2d 144, 148 (Tenn.1992). Considering the proof in this record in the light most favorable to the State, as we are required to do, we agree with the Court of Criminal Appeals that the evidence is sufficient to support the jury's finding of premeditation and deliberation. Pike told a friend one day before the killing that she was going to kill the victim. The defendant procured weapons to accomplish the crime, arming herself with a box cutter and a minature meat cleaver, which she borrowed from another individual. Pike then lured the victim to an isolated area to commit the crime by telling the victim that she would share drugs with her. Once they arrived at the isolated location, the defendant attacked the unarmed victim with not one, but two deadly weapons. The attack continued for thirty minutes to an hour. During this extended time, the defendant had ample opportunities in which to reflect upon her actions and choose a course of conduct. By her own admission, the defendant actually ceased the assault long enough to scout out the area and ensure that no one else was around. Certainly, this break in the chain of events provided the defendant time to reflect upon her actions. In fact, in her statement the defendant recounted how she carefully and repeatedly reflected upon her actions and chose to kill the victim to assure that the victim would not testify against her for attempted murder. Without question, this killing was particularly cruel; in fact, particular cruelty is a phrase which merely begins to describe the nature and circumstances of this killing. The defendant attempted to conceal the offense by dragging the victim's body to a secluded area and removing and disposing of the victim's identification cards. The defendant also washed the tops of her shoes at the Texaco service station and rubbed the mud from the bottom of her shoes onto her blue jeans to conceal the blood. Pike calmly disposed of the box cutter and returned the miniature meat cleaver to the person from whom it had been borrowed. Later that same evening, Pike displayed her souvenir, a piece of the victim's skull, and she gleefully recounted the events of the assault and killing to Iloilo, the same friend to whom, only one day earlier, Pike had proclaimed her intent to kill Colleen Slemmer because she just felt mean that day. Clearly the evidence in this record is sufficient to support the elements of premeditation and deliberation and to support the jury's verdict finding the defendant guilty of first degree premeditated murder.
The defendant next contends that the evidence is insufficient to support her conviction for conspiracy to commit first degree murder because the State failed to prove the elements of the offense. Specifically, the defendant contends that there was no proof, other than her uncorroborated statement that a box cutter had been used on the victim, and there was no proof that Shadolla Peterson and Tadaryl Shipp attacked the victim. At the time this killing occurred and at the present time, [t]he offense of conspiracy is committed if two (2) or more people, each having the culpable mental state required for the offense which is the object of the conspiracy and each acting for the purpose of promoting or facilitating commission of an offense, agree that one (1) or more of them will engage in conduct which constitutes such offense. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-12-103(a) (1991 Repl.). The offense of conspiracy is aimed at group criminality and is based upon the principle that group criminal activity poses a greater public threat than criminal offenses committed by a single individual. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-12-103 (1991 Repl.) (Sentencing Commission Comments). While the essence of the offense of conspiracy is an agreement to accomplish a criminal or unlawful act, Owens v. State, 84 Tenn. 1, 3 (1885); State v. Hodgkinson, 778 S.W.2d 54, 58 (Tenn.Crim.App.1989), the agreement need not be formal or expressed, and it may be proven by circumstantial evidence. State v. Shropshire, 874 S.W.2d 634, 641 (Tenn.Crim.App.1993); Hodgkinson, 778 S.W.2d at 58. The unlawful confederation may be established by circumstantial evidence and the conduct of the parties in the execution of the criminal enterprise. Conspiracy implies concert of design and not participation in every detail of execution. Randolph v. State, 570 S.W.2d 869, 871 (Tenn.Crim.App.1978). Viewing the evidence in this record in the light most favorable to the State, we have no difficulty concluding that the evidence is sufficient to support the defendant's conviction for conspiracy to commit first degree murder. Iloilo testified that she observed the defendant, the victim, Peterson and Shipp leaving the Job Corps facility together on the night of the murder. Later that evening, Iloilo observed the defendant, Peterson, and Shipp return without the victim. After her return, Iloilo said that the defendant told her that she had killed the victim, using a meat cleaver to cut the victim's back and a box cutter to cut her throat. Iloilo testified that Pike said the victim had begged them to stop cutting her throat and beating her. Iloilo's testimony was consistent with and corroborative of the confession in which Pike said that she and another person whom Pike referred to as he, accompanied the victim to the isolated location where the killing occurred. Pike said that the other person participated in restraining the victim, cutting the victim, hitting the victim in the head with rocks and asphalt, and dragging the victim's body to a more isolated location. DNA testing revealed that the blood stains found on both Pike and Shipp's clothing matched the victim's blood. Finally, both Pike and Shipp were wearing pentagram necklaces two days after the murder, and a pentagram had been carved onto the victim's chest. Accordingly, the defendant's contention that the evidence is insufficient to support the conviction for conspiracy to commit first degree murder is without merit.