Opinion ID: 1730477
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: the evidence was insufficient to support the verdicts.

Text: This Court's well-established standard for reviewing the legal sufficiency of the evidence is: When on appeal one convicted of a criminal offense challenges the legal sufficiency of the evidence, our authority to interfere with the jury's verdict is quite limited. We proceed by considering all the evidence ÔÇö not just that supporting the case for the prosecution ÔÇö in the light most consistent with the verdict. We give [the] prosecution the benefit of all favorable inferences that may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. If the facts and inferences so considered point in favor of the accused with sufficient force that reasonable men could not have found beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty, reversal and discharge is required. On the other hand, if there is in the record substantial evidence of such quality and weight that, having in mind the beyond a reasonable doubt burden of proof standard, reasonable and fair minded jurors in the exercise of impartial judgment might have reached different conclusions, the verdict of guilty is thus placed beyond our authority to disturb. [citations omitted]. Roberson v. State, 595 So.2d 1310, 1318 (Miss. 1992) ( quoting McFee v. State, 511 So.2d 130, 133-134 (Miss. 1987)). See also Williams v. State, 595 So.2d 1299, 1302 (Miss. 1992); Bush v. State, 585 So.2d 1262, 1263-1264 (Miss. 1991). This same standard is applicable in capital cases. Mackbee v. State, 575 So.2d 16, 36 (Miss. 1990). When viewed in the light most consistent with the verdict, the evidence in the case sub judice clearly supports the jury's verdict. Moreover, the jury was properly instructed as to the elements of capital murder and the elements of the underlying felonies. Carr contends that the most the evidence supports is that he was an accessory after the fact. We will consider the evidence indicating that Carr, either on his own or in concert with Simon, was present at the Parker home and the evidence indicating who committed these crimes. Simon and Carr were seen together earlier on the day the crime was committed. After midnight, when Martha Simon saw Carr, Carr told her that he and Simon had been together but that he had come on ahead. He also told her he had driven a truck, which turned out to be the stolen Parker truck. Based on information Carr provided Martha, the police recovered from a dumpster coveralls and work gloves that smelled of smoke and were covered with soot. There was also Billy King's testimony that he saw two vehicles leave the Parker driveway as he waited at the neighbor's house to call for help. Carl Parker's stolen truck, when recovered, was full of items belonging to the Parkers. Also found in the truck was a .20-gauge shotgun with Carr's fingerprint on it. It was identified as being like one Carl Parker had. Anthony Washington testified that Carr told him that he and his partner raped the little girl. Carr also stated to Washington that they had a ball, and made a gun with his fingers and held it to his head. The autopsy report showed that nine-year-old Charlotte Parker had tears about the rectum and anus, injuries consistent with sexual battery. The conflicting evidence involved Carr's movements on the night of February 2, 1990, placing Carr in Clarksdale around the time the coroner said the Parkers died. However, where there is a conflict in the evidence, it is for the jury to resolve the conflict. When judging the credibility of the witnesses, the jury will take into consideration such things as motive and bias. Two of the witnesses who testified on behalf of Carr and to his whereabouts that night were blood kin. See Garrett v. State, 549 So.2d 1325, 1331 (Miss. 1989); Wetz v. State, 503 So.2d 803, 812 (Miss. 1987) ( citing VanBuren v. State, 498 So.2d 1224, 1228 (Miss. 1986)). Considering the evidence in the light most consistent with the verdict, we find the record reflects substantial evidence of such quality to support the verdict reached by reasonable and fair-minded jurors in the exercise of impartial judgment. See McFee v. State, 511 So.2d 130, 133-134 (Miss. 1987). This assignment of error is without merit.