Opinion ID: 590796
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Insufficient Evidence of An Attempt

Text: 15 As to count four, counsel argues that there was insufficient evidence of any attempt by the defendants to sustain the guilty verdicts returned by the jury. His argument is that the defendants abandoned their effort to complete the purchase of the cocaine at the time they inadvertently locked their ignition key in the car. We do not agree. 16 An attempt occurs when there is an unlawful intent plus an overt act which constitutes a substantial step towards the crime's commission. United States v. Johnson, 767 F.2d 673 (10th Cir.1985). In United States v. Prichard, 781 F.2d 179, 181 (10th Cir.1986), we defined a substantial step as one which is strongly corroborative of the firmness of the defendant's criminal intent. Here there certainly was the requisite intent, and the actions of the two defendants in driving to Morrow's place of business, each carrying a loaded firearm, and then displaying to Morrow $8,000 in the brown sack with which they were to purchase cocaine, is an overt act sufficient to sustain a conviction for an attempt charge. Such acts strongly corroborate the defendants' criminal intent. 17 The fact that the attempted crime was never completed does not absolve defendants from their attempt efforts. It would appear that in reality the defendants did not abandon their effort to purchase cocaine even when they discovered they had locked their keys in the car, as they, with the aid of Morrow, attempted to regain entry into the car and, if successful, would have presumably completed their purchase. They may well have abandoned the deal when arrested by the police, but only then!