Court Opinion

ID: 9759881
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:31:43.340109+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:05.767084
License: Public Domain

NYE, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent to the majority’s conclusion that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the conviction. After reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict, as we are required to do, I find that there is sufficient evidence in the record to support the jury's finding that appellant Raul 0. Gonzales intended to defraud Pedro Cano.
Pedro Cano, the State’s key witness, testified that he was to receive $1,300.00 for his labor in installing vinyl siding and preparing a porch foundation. Under his contractual agreement with Cano, appellant was to provide all the materials. The record shows that appellant did in fact provide some of the materials for the job but not all the materials as agreed.
Cano and his men worked for five days on the project and then ran out of materials on Friday, June 11, 1982. On that same date, appellant gave Cano a check for seven hundred dollars for his work and told Cano that “we were going to get the material.” Cano waited three days for the additional materials promised by the appellant. Appellant never supplied the promised materials so that Cano would finish the job. As a result, Cano was only able to finish three-fourths of the job.
It is undisputed that, on the day Cano ran out of materials, appellant gave Cano a check for seven hundred dollars. Several days later, appellant stopped payment on the check. As a result, Cano received only the advance money for his work, about $30.00. In reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the state, I would find that the non-completion of the work was caused by appellant, who failed to provide the necessary materials and stopped payment on his check. The appellant’s failure to furnish the additional necessary materials for completion, after telling Cano that the materials would be supplied, coupled with his action of stopping payment on a check which had already been tendered to Cano for his work, is sufficient evidence from which the jury could find an intent to defraud.
I agree with the verdict of the jury and would affirm the judgment of the trial court.