How to win an appeal of a murder case in Minnesota: leveraging no physical evidence to challenge the sufficiency of evidence
If you were wrongly convicted of murder, you are not alone. As of the time this blog was written, 1,464 people have been wrongfully convicted of homicide and later been exonerated. This is more than any other type of crime. This philosophy is that when somebody dies, somebody has to pay. But tunnel vision from police and prosecutors can get them to focus on the wrong person. This blog post will focus on a murder conviction that the Minnesota Supreme Court case overturned.
The defendant is convicted of 1st degree murder in the district court
In State v. Webb, the defendant was convicted of 1st degree premeditated murder in St. Louis County, Minnesota. 1st degree murder is defined by statute. Minn. Stat. § 609.185. The facts supporting guilt were that the body of the victim was found one block away from the defendant’s apartment in Duluth, MN. He was seen speaking to the victim earlier in the day. An unidentified man was seen dragging a heavy object near the defendant’s apartment, with it being the State’s theory that the unidentified man was the defendant. The defendant shaved his head in the time period after the murder. He later made a joking comment that he “did it.” The jury convicted him of murder.
Sufficiency of evidence: what the standard is on appeal
On appeal, the defendant challenged the case on sufficiency of evidence grounds. There was no physical evidence in the case tying the defendant to the crime. Although physical evidence is not required, a case that is based only on circumstantial evidence is looked at very closely by the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. "A conviction may be based on circumstantial evidence and will be upheld if the 'reasonable inferences from such evidence are consistent only with the defendant's guilt and inconsistent with any rational hypothesis except that of his guilt.' " State v. Anderson, 379 N.W.2d 70, 75 (Minn. 1985).
Minnesota Supreme Court holds reverses the conviction on sufficiency of evidence grounds
The evidence supporting innocence was that the defendant had not been seen with the victim after the drop-in center closed, but only while it was open. The victim had been seen with other individuals after it had closed. One of those individuals was a suspect in the crime, and was the person who claimed that the defendant was talking with the victim earlier in the day, turning the police’s attention on the defendant instead of the other suspect. There was no physical evidence tying the defendant to the crime, including absolutely none of the defendant’s biological evidence on the bedspread, sheets, or victim. There was also none of the victim’s biological evidence found in the defendant’s apartment. This was highly improbable if the victim was killed in bed in the defendant’s apartment like the State’s theory was. The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed the conviction on sufficiency of evidence grounds.
Conclusion
If you or a loved one were convicted of murder, you should contact a skilled Minnesota appeals attorney. Jack Rice Defense utilizes its extensive knowledge of criminal defense and appeals to craft the best strategy to counteract the conviction in your case. It’s important for you to act fast because generally the deadline to appeal felony and gross misdemeanor cases is 90 days; and 30 days for misdemeanors. Contact Jack Rice Defense if you want to appeal your case. (651) 447-7650.
Peter Lindstrom
Peter is the head of the appellate and expungement departments at Jack Rice Defense. The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed a felony conviction because of the brief Peter drafted. At the district court level, he has tried two felony jury trials to verdict, and successfully dismissed a felony gun case on 4th amendment grounds. Peter is particularly known for his intelligence, creativity, and legal acumen.
