Opinion ID: 1754638
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: For his first point on appeal, Appellant contends the evidence was insufficient to justify conviction for first-degree murder. We consider sufficiency of the evidence before addressing other alleged trial errors. Williams v. State, 338 Ark. 97, 106, 991 S.W.2d 565 (1999). We do so in order to preserve a defendant's right to freedom from double jeopardy. Rankin v. State, 329 Ark. 379, 948 S.W.2d 397 (1997); Williams v. State, 329 Ark. 8, 946 S.W.2d 678 (1997). Burris v. State, 330 Ark. 66, 70, 954 S.W.2d 209 (1997). Appellant moved for directed verdict at the close of the state's case and then at the close of his case. Ordinarily, this would be sufficient to preserve the issue of sufficiency of the evidence for appellate purposes. However, as the State points out, Appellant failed to renew the directed-verdict motion after the State's rebuttal testimony. The State argues that appellant thus failed to preserve the issue. We agree. Our procedure rules require that a motion for a directed verdict be brought at the conclusion of the evidence presented by the prosecution and again at the close of the case ... Ark. R.Crim. P. 33.1. Close of the case means close of the whole case, in other words, after the last piece of evidence has been received. As we stated in Rankin, supra Even if a defendant renews his motion at the close of his case-in-chief, the requirement of the rule to renew the motion at the close of the case obligates the defendant to renew the motion again at the close of any rebuttal case that the State may present in order to preserve the sufficiency issue for appeal. See also, Heard v. State, 322 Ark. 553, 557, 910 S.W.2d 663 (1995) [overruled on other grounds in MacKintrush v. State, 334 Ark. 390, 978 S.W.2d 293 (1998)]; Christian v. State, 318 Ark. 813, 889 S.W.2d 717 (1994). A review of the record reveals Appellant did not move for a directed verdict after the State's rebuttal testimony. The Appellant closed his case when witness Lewis Hatbox Hattison could not be located and brought to the courtroom to testify. The Appellant then moved for a directed verdict based on insufficiency of the evidence. The State then called police Sgt. Mike Davis back to the stand as a rebuttal witness. Mr. Davis testified that Appellant was a member of the Dixie Dog Pound, the only gang in the Dixie Addition. The Appellant indicated he had no surrebuttal testimony to offer and the court began jury instruction. Hence, appellant made no motion for directed verdict at the close of the whole case. This court has repeatedly and emphatically held that, in order to preserve for appeal the issue of the sufficiency of the evidence in a criminal case, the appellant must move for a directed verdict both at the close of the State's case and at the close of the whole case. Hayes v. State, 312 Ark. 349, 849 S.W.2d 501 (1993); Collins v. State, 308 Ark. 536, 826 S.W.2d 231 (1992); DeWitt v. State, 306 Ark. 559, 815 S.W.2d 942 (1991). Thomas v. State, 315 Ark. 504, 868 S.W.2d 483 (1994). We hold Appellant failed to preserve the question of sufficiency of the evidence by failing to move for a directed verdict after the State's rebuttal testimony.