Opinion ID: 1652601
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the verdict of the jury was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. whether the state failed to make a prima facie showing of neal's guilt.

Text: ¶ 19. Neal argues that the State did not put on any direct eyewitness evidence and that the circumstantial evidence presented was insufficient for a reasonable jury to have convicted him. We recently set out the standard of review for challenges to sufficiency of evidence as follows: [W]e must, with respect to each element of the offense, consider all of the evidence not just the evidence which supports the case for prosecutionin the light most favorable to the verdict. The credible evidence which is consistent with the guilt must be accepted as true. The prosecution must be given the benefit of all favorable inferences that may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. Matters regarding the weight and credibility to be accorded the evidence are to be resolved by the jury. We may reverse only where, with respect to one or more of the elements of the offense charged, the evidence so considered is such that reasonable and fair-minded jurors could only find the accused not guilty. Gleeton v. State, 716 So.2d 1083, 1087 (Miss.1998). ¶ 20. To sustain a conviction on circumstantial evidence, every other reasonable hypothesis of innocence must be excluded: This Court has repeatedly held that [D]irect evidence is unnecessary to support a conviction so long as sufficient circumstantial evidence exists to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Underwood v. State, 708 So.2d 18, 35 (Miss.1998) (quoting Conner v. State, 632 So.2d 1239, 1252 (Miss.1993), overruled on other grounds, Weatherspoon v. State, 732 So.2d 158 (Miss.1999)). Campbell cites McRee v. State, 732 So.2d 246, 250 (Miss.1999), for the proposition that in a circumstantial evidence case, guilt must be shown to the exclusion of every reasonable hypothesis consistent with innocence. Circumstantial evidence need not exclude every possible doubt, but only every other reasonable hypothesis of innocence. Tolbert v. State, 407 So.2d 815, 820 (Miss.1981). Each case must be determined from the circumstances shown in the testimony and the facts must consistently point to but one conclusion guilt. Hilliard v. State, 749 So.2d 1015 (Miss.1999); Hester v. State, 463 So.2d 1087, 1091 (Miss.1985) (quoting Sanders v. State, 286 So.2d 825, 828 (Miss.1973)). Campbell v. State, 798 So.2d 524, 528-29 (Miss.2001). ¶ 21. Neal is correct that the State's evidence was circumstantial-there was no witness who testified that he saw Neal shoot Williams. The evidence shows that Stewart and Parker saw a vehicle pull up next to them and heard two men arguing. Stewart heard the distinct name Deano prior to a shot being fired. Following the gun shot Stewart and Parker saw a short stocky man fitting the description of Neal approach their car and fire at them when they pulled away. ¶ 22. There were other telling events in the hours before the murder. Joyce Jones testified that Neal and Williams were sitting in a car at a convenience store that morning. When Neal was getting out of the vehicle to go to the bathroom, she saw him almost drop a gun. Jones left them because they were arguing about some money being owed and she saw Neal strike Williams. She later saw Neal driving alone. Michael Diggs saw Williams, Neal, and Fred Miller in a heated argument at a club earlier that morning. Ira Williams saw L.W. Williams and Neal riding around that morning. Officer Little found Williams's body in the location that Stewart and Parker had described. A plethora of evidence existed on which a jury could have reasonably relied to find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that no reasonable inferences of innocence existed and that Neal killed Williams. ¶ 23. This issue is without merit.