Opinion ID: 1869128
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: In his first claim, Hurd argues that the evidence is not sufficient to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that he killed Linnerooth. When reviewing whether the evidence is sufficient to support a conviction, we conduct a painstaking analysis of the record to determine whether the evidence, when viewed in a light most favorable to the conviction, was sufficient to permit the jurors to reach the verdict which they did. State v. Webb, 440 N.W.2d 426, 430 (Minn.1989). Circumstantial evidence receives the same weight as all other evidence. Id. We assume that the jury believed the state's witnesses and disbelieved any evidence to the contrary. State v. Moore, 438 N.W.2d 101, 108 (Minn.1989). Hurd alleges that the State's case leaves grave doubts as to whether Hurd could have accomplished a murder in the timeline described by the State's witnesses. Specifically, Hurd argues that if, as the officer testified, he was seen walking with Linnerooth sometime between 10:30 and 11 p.m., there was not enough time for him to commit the murder and dispose of the body, and still arrive at Billie Ann's house, covered in blood, around 11 p.m. But the evidence as to the time of events recited at trial was often approximate because many witnesses relied on memories more than 12 years old, and no account of timing provided by the witnesses created unreasonable inconsistencies in the State's case. When viewed in a light most favorable to the verdict, it would not have been unreasonable for the jury to believe the timeline constructed by the State's witnesses, and conclude that under that timeline, Hurd had time to commit the murder before he arrived at Billie Ann's house. Hurd further argues that the State's evidence is insufficient because the State offered no solid forensic evidence, did not produce the murder weapon, and offered no motive evidence. As for forensic evidence, the State offered testimony of a witness from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) who described that he found human blood on four articles of Hurd's clothing. The items of clothing included a pair of blue corduroy jeans, a tan shirt, a pair of underwear, and a tank top. Billie Ann identified the jeans as the pants she washed for Hurd on the night of the murder. The BCA witness also testified that the stains on Hurd's jeans appeared to have been scrubbed because [t]hey smelled like soap and the remainder of the garment did not smell like soap. While Hurd testified that the blood found on his jeans was from previous fights, the jury was not required to accept this explanation. Rather, a reasonable jury could have concluded that blood found on the clothes that Hurd allegedly wore on the night of the murder belonged, at least in part, to Linnerooth. With respect to the murder weapon, the State offered evidence that the Linnerooth's death was caused, at least in part, from stab wounds. The State also offered testimony regarding the size of the knife probably used to inflict the wounds, along with the testimony of four witnesses who said that they saw Hurd carrying a similar knife attached to his belt on the day of the murder. Finally, regarding motive evidence, we have recognized that motive evidence is not required for the evidence to be sufficient to sustain a conviction. See Webb, 440 N.W.2d at 431. Moreover, the State contends that the food stamps found in Hurd's possession were taken from Linnerooth. There was also evidence presented that Linnerooth had been sexually assaulted. Either or both of these events could have provided a motive for the murder. We have painstakingly reviewed the record. When the evidence is construed in the light most favorable to the verdict, it reveals the following: Hurd was seen on the night of the murder with Linnerooth shortly before the time of her death. He was seen wearing particular items of clothing that were later collected from his residence and found to contain human blood, and he was seen carrying a knife that was consistent with the murder weapon. Hurd confessed to Billie Ann on the night of the murder that he killed Linnerooth. Hurd requested that B.H. provide Hurd with an alibi for the time period during which the murder took place. Finally, shortly after the murder, Hurd was in possession of Linnerooth's property. Under our standard of review, which assumes that the jury believed the State's witnesses and disbelieved evidence to the contrary, the jury could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Hurd committed first-degree murder. Because the evidence is sufficient to sustain the conviction, there is no merit to the first claim in Hurd's second postconviction petition.