Brewer v. State

Decision Date21 November 1977
Docket NumberNo. 677S389,677S389
Citation267 Ind. 238,369 N.E.2d 424
PartiesJames BREWER, Appellant (Defendant below), v. STATE of Indiana, Appellee (Plaintiff below).
CourtIndiana Supreme Court

Palmer K. Ward, Indianapolis, for appellant.

Theodore L. Sendak, Atty. Gen., Daniel Lee Pflum, Deputy Atty. Gen., Indianapolis, for appellee.

HUNTER, Justice.

The defendant, James Brewer, was charged with the commission of an armed robbery. Trial was had before a jury, which returned a verdict finding the defendant guilty of armed robbery. From a judgment on this verdict sentencing him to twelve years' imprisonment, the defendant appeals, raising only the sufficiency of the evidence to support the jury's verdict.

When reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, this Court does not reweigh the evidence or judge the credibility of the witnesses. Looking at the evidence most favorable to the verdict, we will not disturb the verdict if there is substantial evidence of probative value to support each essential element of the offense. Daniels v. State, (1976) Ind., 346 N.E.2d 566; Gaddis v. State, (1969) 253 Ind. 73, 251 N.E.2d 658.

The defendant's specific claim is that the state failed to prove that the taking of the property from the victim was either forcible and by violence or by putting the victim in fear. It is not necessary, as the defendant claims, for the victim to testify that he was actually put in fear. There need only be evidence from which the jury can infer that the victim was put in fear. Roberts v. State, (1976) Ind., 355 N.E.2d 243.

In this case the evidence showed that the defendant entered the victim's residence, armed with a shotgun. The defendant and his accomplice inquired as to the location of the victim's money and guns. The victim was made to lie on a bed with his hands tied. A tape player, a camera, a wallet, money clip, and watch were taken from the victim. This evidence was sufficient for the jury to infer that the victim surrendered his property because he was in fear.

For all the foregoing reasons, there was no trial error and the judgment should be affirmed.

Judgment affirmed.

GIVAN, C. J., and DeBRULER, PRENTICE and PIVARNIK, JJ., concur.

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7 cases
  • Holliness v. State
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Indiana
    • 16 Agosto 1984
    ...jury was clearly able to infer this element from her testimony. Baker v. State, (1980) 273 Ind. 64, 402 N.E.2d 951; Brewer v. State, (1977) 267 Ind. 238, 369 N.E.2d 424. There was sufficient evidence to uphold the jury's For all of the foregoing reasons, there was no trial court error and t......
  • Moore v. State
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Indiana
    • 19 Noviembre 1985
    ...she was actually put in fear. There need only be evidence from which a jury could infer that a victim was put in fear. Brewer v. State (1977), 267 Ind. 238, 369 N.E.2d 424. The evidence showed that Appellant and his cohort entered the basement armed with guns, demanded that everyone lie on ......
  • Khamisi-El v. United States, No. 19-5584
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (6th Circuit)
    • 23 Enero 2020
    .... . . money because she was afraid." Baker v. State, 402 N.E.2d 951, 953 (Ind. 1980) (emphasis added); see also Brewer v. State, 369 N.E.2d 424, 425 (Ind. 1977) (upholding a conviction of robbery by putting in fear where "the victim surrendered his property because he was in fear") (emphasi......
  • Maul v. State
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Indiana
    • 11 Septiembre 1984
    ...from which the jury can infer that the victim was put in fear. Baker v. State, (1980) 273 Ind. 64, 402 N.E.2d 951; Brewer v. State, (1977) 267 Ind. 238, 369 N.E.2d 424. The evidence here shows that the victim was a sixty-five year old woman who was approached suddenly from the back. Her pur......
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