Kirk v. State

Decision Date24 April 1970
Docket NumberNo. 769,769
Citation257 N.E.2d 304,254 Ind. 54
PartiesWilliam H. KIRK, Appellant, v. STATE of Indiana, Appellee. S 173.
CourtIndiana Supreme Court

Alexis T. Cholis, South Bend, for appellant.

Theodore L. Sendak, Atty. Gen., William F. Thompson, Deputy Atty. Gen., for appellee.

HUNTER, Chief Justice.

Appellant was charged by affidavit with robbery by putting in fear. On trial before a jury, appellant was convicted of the included offense of theft from the person and was thereupon sentenced to the Indiana Reformatory for a period of not less than one year nor more than ten years and fined in the sum of five thousand dollars and costs.

On this appeal appellant raises only the question of whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain the jury's verdict. In the memorandum accompanying his motion for new trial, appellant asserts that there was insufficient evidence to establish his identity as the perpetrator of the crime.

Looking to the evidence most favorable to the state we note the following facts: on March 12, 1968, one Jerry Miller was working as a gas station attendant for the Liberty Petroleum Company on McKinley Highway in Mishawaka, Indiana. At about 1:30 A.M. he was just finishing mopping the office floor when a man, later identified as appellant, came into the service station office and said that it was a 'stick-up'. Initially, Miller thought appellant was 'kidding' but upon being reassured by appellant that it was no joke, he handed appellant approximately ninety ($90) dollars in bills and change. As soon as the appellant left the station Miller went to the telephone to call the police. The appellant, however, apparently heard Miller, because he re-entered the service station and pulled the receiver wires out of the telephone. When leaving for the second time, appellant told Miller to give him five minutes or, in appellant's words, 'I'll blast you.'

Miller testified that appellant was in his presence for approximately five or six minutes and that the service station office was adequately lit so that appellant's features were readily discernible. To corroborate Miller's testimony as to the identity of appellant was that of one Carol Boyd who testified that appellant and a friend stopped at her house on the evening of March 12 and asked if there had been any policemen looking for them, and if she had a gun. Both men had been drinking heavily and at one point she overheard appellant make a statement...

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5 cases
  • Cosby v. State, 969S212
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • March 12, 1971
    ...(1952), 231 Ind. 434, 108 N.E.2d 888. Further, this Court will not weigh evidence or determine credibility of witnesses. Kirk v. State (1970), Ind., 257 N.E.2d 304; Stock v. State (1966), 247 Ind. 532, 219 N.E.2d In the case before us, two witnesses testified that the defendant was one of t......
  • Smith v. State
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • June 22, 1971
    ...record to ascertain if there exists sufficient evidence of probative value to sustain the conviction as a matter of law. Kirk v. State (1970), Ind., 257 N.E.2d 304. In this case the following evidence was adduced at Mr. Robert DeWitt, who resided at 127 N. Herman Street, Indianapolis, India......
  • Thomas v. State, 370S63
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • April 21, 1971
    ...v. State (1968), 250 Ind. 625, 237 N.E.2d 254. We will not weigh the evidence or judge the credibility of witnesses. Kirk v. State (1970), Ind., 257 N.E.2d 304. We must sustain the conviction if there is any evidence of probative value to support the facts essential to it. Powell v. State (......
  • Whited v. State
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • May 10, 1971
    ...the record to ascertain if, as a matter of law, there is sufficient evidence to establish the elements of the offense. Kirk v. State (1970), Ind., 257 N.E.2d 304. As indicated by the statute there must exist under the facts of this case evidence of probative value that (1) acted in a loud, ......
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