Court Opinion

ID: 9598258
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:07:14.162926+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:38:25.553500
License: Public Domain

COMPTON, J.,
dissenting.
In my opinion, the evidence is insufficient to sustain these convictions. Even viewed in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the prosecutor’s evidence only creates a suspicion that there was an agreement between Wright and Lightfoot. Moreover, only by indulging in pure speculation can one conclude that the intent of any such agreement was to commit a robbery, or even to commit a felony. In Virginia, a person cannot conspire to commit a misdemeanor. Code § 18.2-22. Finally, the evidence is insufficient to establish the target of the alleged robbery. This is demonstrated by the trial court’s statement:
“They were out there for the purpose of robbing something. It might not have been McDonald’s. It could have been Pizza Hut across [Route] 60 ... ”
Consequently, I would reverse the convictions and dismiss the indictments.