Opinion ID: 2221440
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Alibi evidence is in effect rebuttal evidence directed toward that part of the State's evidence which tends to identify the defendant as the perpetrator of the crime. An alibi defense does not place a greater burden on the State than it would otherwise bear. Merritt v. State (1978), 267 Ind. 460, 371 N.E.2d 382. Carol Brown, appellant's wife, testified at trial that Brown left the apartment on the night of the crime to drive a friend home. She said he returned at 10:20 p.m., at which time they both went to bed. In her pretrial interview with the investigating officer, however, she declared that their friend had departed on his own, after which she and Brown went to bed and remained there the rest of the night. The friend stated that he was with Brown until around 10:20 p.m.; this testimony does not preclude Brown's involvement. By contrast, L.B. consistently and unequivocally identified Brown as her assailant during both a pretrial statement and testimony in court. As between alibi testimony and the uncorroborated testimony of the victim it is the jury's decision whom to believe. The uncorroborated testimony of a victim is sufficient to support a conviction. Riggs v. State (1987), Ind., 508 N.E.2d 1271. The evidence in this case is sufficient to sustain the jury's verdict.