Opinion ID: 2430181
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Townsend and Baker made timely motions for directed verdict, both at the close of the State's case and at the end of their own case-in-chief. They argue the evidence was insufficient to support the convictions and that our breaking or entering statute does not specifically cover the breaking or entering of a fence, as defined under that statute's use of the word, structure. We disagree with both contentions. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-39-202(a) (1987) states: A person commits the offense of breaking or entering if for the purpose of committing a theft or felony he enters or breaks into any building, structure, vehicle, vault, safe, cash register, money vending machine, product dispenser, money depository, safety deposit box, coin telephone, coin box, or other similar container, apparatus, or equipment. (Emphasis added.) Our criminal code does not define the term structure, it only provides the specifics of the term occupiable structure, which is included in the greater offense of burglary. See Ark.Code Ann. § 5-39-201 (1987). Black's Law Dictionary (5th Ed.1979) defines structure as any construction, or any production or piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner. That same authority defines fence as a hedge, structure, or partition, erected for the purpose of inclosing a piece of land.... (Emphasis added.) In light of these definitions and our statutory definition of breaking or entering, which broadly includes anything from buildings to coin boxes, we have no hesitancy in holding that a fence comes within the meaning of the word structure, as that term is used in the statute. As to the evidence, itself, we find ample support in the record to uphold both convictions. The test for determining the sufficiency of the evidence is whether there is substantial evidence to support the verdict. Substantial evidence must be forceful enough to compel a conclusion one way or another beyond suspicion and conjecture. On review, it is only necessary to ascertain that evidence which is most favorable to the appellee and, if there is substantial evidence to support the verdict, the finding must be affirmed. Gillie v. State, 305 Ark. 296, 808 S.W.2d 320 (1991). Around midnight, on August 18, 1990, Mr. Howard Dale was awakened by the barking of his German Shepherds and went to his front porch where he observed a white Chevrolet pickup truck stop in front of his house on Colonel Glenn Road. Mr. Dale saw two black males emerge from the truck; one of them tall and wearing a red shirt, and the other short, wearing a brown or green shirt. The truck then left. The two men crossed the street and walked south along a fence surrounding Aimco Wholesale. Mr. Dale observed the fence shaking and, in a few minutes, saw the men enter the fence and go onto the Aimco property. He then observed the men pulling a trailer loaded with two all-terrain vehicles through a hole in the fence. After they pulled the trailer through the fence, the men walked along the outside of the fence and crossed the street. Mr. Dale was in his backyard at this time, observing the parties through bushes. Mr. Dale testified that while the parties were standing there, a deputy's car came by and the men crept into the ditch until the deputy passed. A minute or two later, the white truck came back and picked them up. Mr. Dale dialed 911 and reported a break-in when the men first entered the fence. Pulaski County Deputy Sheriff Mike Kesterson testified he drove by Aimco Wholesale at approximately 12:40 a.m. He saw a black male wearing a red shirt and shorts standing on the side of the road, dusting his hands. He came within three feet of the man, as he passed by. Continuing on, Deputy Kesterson saw a white truck parked in a farmer's supply store lot (which is in the area near Aimco) with the engine running. The driver of the truck, a black male, saw the police car, turned his headlights on, and fell in behind Deputy Kesterson at the stop sign. The officer turned west and the truck turned and continued east. Deputy Kesterson was running low on fuel so he radioed the police department to convey his suspicions, but was told that another unit was headed that way. After refueling his car, Deputy Kesterson returned to Aimco Wholesale, whereupon police officers were holding three men in their squad cars. Deputy Kesterson identified Baker as the man he saw standing by the ditch and another man, Michael Raglin, as the driver of the truck. Officer Robert Lusk testified that he responded to a call about 12:55 a.m., regarding a burglary in progress at Aimco Wholesale. Based on the information he received, Officer Lusk followed a white pickup truck travelling east on Colonel Glenn Road and, a few blocks later, pulled the truck over. The driver got out of the truck and identified himself as Michael Raglin. The two passengers identified themselves as appellants, Townsend and Baker. Baker was wearing a red shirt and shorts and Townsend was wearing a brown t-shirt. The owner of Aimco Wholesale, Mr. Don Thompson, testified the property is completely enclosed by a fence and that when he left on the evening of August 17, the gates were closed and locked. At trial, Baker and Michael Raglin denied the charges and testified Raglin and Townsend were driving Baker to some apartments in the area, when they were pulled over by the police. The credibility of witnesses lies within the province of the jury. Prater v. State, 307 Ark. 180, 820 S.W.2d 429 (1991). Furthermore, circumstantial evidence may be sufficient to sustain a conviction provided where circumstantial evidence alone is relied upon, it indicates the accused's guilt and excludes every other reasonable hypothesis. Black v. State, 306 Ark. 394, 814 S.W.2d 905 (1991). We find the evidence here, though largely circumstantial, was sufficient to sustain the convictions.