Opinion ID: 1262799
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence to Show a Willful, Deliberate, and Premeditated Murder

Text: Beavers asserts that the evidence is insufficient to support a finding of premeditated murder because it did not negate his theory that the killing was accidental. Beavers claimed throughout the trial that he merely attempted to keep Mrs. Lowery quiet, and that he did not intend to kill her. Beavers asserts that the testimony of Dr. Presswalla, the deputy chief medical examiner, supports his accidental death theory. Specifically, Beavers notes that the doctor's testimony showed that there had been minimal physical violence and that Mrs. Lowery's heart condition made her particularly susceptible to cardiac arrhythmia, a primary cause of her death. Citing Inge v. Commonwealth, 217 Va. 360, 228 S.E.2d 563 (1976), and Stover v. Commonwealth, 222 Va. 618, 283 S.E.2d 194 (1981), Beavers argues that because the evidence of his intent was wholly circumstantial, the evidence must be inconsistent with every reasonable hypothesis of innocenceÔÇöhere the hypothesis of accidental deathÔÇöand, therefore, that the evidence was insufficient as a matter of law to establish a willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing. Inge and Stover are inapposite. In this case, both the corpus delicti and criminal agency were established by direct evidence. There was no question that Beavers raped and killed Mrs. Lowery. Under these circumstances, whether the killing was willful, deliberate, and premeditated, or accidental was a question of fact for the jury to determine from all the facts and circumstances. Edmonds v. Commonwealth, 229 Va. 303, 308, 329 S.E.2d 807, 811, cert. denied, 474 U.S. 975, 106 S.Ct. 339, 88 L.Ed.2d 324 (1985); Clozza v. Commonwealth, 228 Va. 124, 134, 321 S.E.2d 273, 279 (1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1230, 105 S.Ct. 1233, 84 L.Ed.2d 370 (1985). The proper standard in reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence on this question of fact requires that the evidence be viewed in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the prevailing party below, granting to it all reasonable inferences, and the judgment of the trial court must be affirmed unless it appears that it is plainly wrong, or without evidence to support it. Code  8.01-680; Pugh v. Commonwealth, 223 Va. 663, 666, 292 S.E.2d 339, 340 (1982). Proof of premeditation, as Beavers acknowledges, will be sufficient, even if the premeditation shown is only slight or momentary. A jury may also consider the brutality of the attack, the disparity in size, strength, and age between the victim and the accused, and the efforts made to avoid detection thereafter in considering the issue of intent to kill. Epperly v. Commonwealth, 224 Va. 214, 232, 294 S.E.2d 882, 892 (1982). Here, given his relative age, size, and strength, there is no question that Beavers overwhelmed his victim. Furthermore, it is clear that Beavers held a pillow over Mrs. Lowery's face to silence her, in addition to ripping her clothes and underwear from her body. The evidence also shows that Beavers placed a pillow over Mrs. Lowery's face not just once, but twice. This evidence is sufficient to support a finding that he intended to take whatever actions were necessary to eliminate his victim's resistance. Furthermore, Beavers's intentions were expressed in his own description of his mental state. [W]hen I was fighting her I had so much anger and evilness come out of me like someone else just took over and was telling me do do do whatever you gotta do. I had no self control of myself at the time I was struggling with her. And my voice got real deep, real deep like the devil was talking for me and I was telling it, Shut up, don't make me hurt you shut up. After the time I told her that that's when she kept quite [sic] and then she'd start freaking out again and I just got more possessed of trying to control her. I really didn't know what I was doing at that time when she kept fighting me. .... [W]hat made me do that is the feeling and the control that I had over her at that time when I felt like somebody else was in me just saying do what you got to do, don't let nothing stop you. Beavers's acknowledgment that he had to do what [he had] to do ... evidences his intention to kill Mrs. Lowery by suffocating her to death, if that was necessary to overcome her resistance. Finally, Beavers's actions subsequent to the death of Mrs. Lowery show an intent to avoid detection. He stole and burned her vehicle and acknowledged that he had to get out of town, all of which indicate his desire to avoid detection. As we have said, whether the murder of Mrs. Lowery was willful, deliberate, and premeditated was an issue of fact to be resolved by the jury. The jury was not required to accept Beavers's self-serving statements that he did not mean to kill Mrs. Lowery, and that her death was an accident. The jury was fully instructed on the elements of capital murder, as well as on first degree murder. The phrase willful, deliberate, and premeditated was defined. The jury was directed to find Beavers not guilty of capital murder if it had a reasonable doubt as to whether the killing was accidental or intentional. The jury rejected Beavers's theory. The jury's factual finding of premeditation in the killing of Mrs. Lowery was supported by the evidence, and will not be reversed on appeal.