Opinion ID: 1955659
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Sufficiency of the Evidence Issue.

Text: Iowa Code section 713.1 pertinently provides: Any person, having the intent to commit a felony ..., who, having no right, license or privilege to do so, enters an occupied structure ... or who remains therein ... after the person's right, license or privilege to be there has expired ... commits burglary. (Emphasis added.) The trial information charged only that Taft illegally entered the residence. Taft says this limited the State to proving only the no right, license or privilege alternative and not the second alternative: who remains therein ... after the person's right, license or privilege to be there has expired. Taft further says the evidence was insufficient to establish the first alternative and for that reason the conviction for this offense was not supported by substantial evidence. Taft preserved error on this issue by moving for judgment of acquittal at the close of the State's evidence and at the close of all the evidence. The district court overruled both motions. The district court's finding of guilt is binding on us unless we conclude there was not substantial evidence in the record to support such a finding. In determining whether there was substantial evidence, we review the record in the light most favorable to the State. Substantial evidence means such evidence as could convince a rational trier of fact that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Torres, 495 N.W.2d 678, 681 (Iowa 1993). Contrary to Taft's contention, we think there was substantial evidence to establish the first alternative: no right, license or privilege. The first time, one of the girls allowed Taft to enter the home after he knocked and asked to use the phone. The second time, Taft knew he had no right to enter the girls' home because their mother had told him to make the call and leave. After smoking a cigarette, Taft reentered without knocking. The second entry was separate from the first, and this time the entry was without permission. On similar facts, our court of appeals concluded there was substantial evidence to establish two separate entries. See State v. Riles-El, 453 N.W.2d 538, 539-40 (Iowa App.1990).