R.P. v. State, 83-2696

Decision Date05 November 1985
Docket NumberNo. 83-2696,83-2696
Citation10 Fla. L. Weekly 2483,478 So.2d 1106
Parties10 Fla. L. Weekly 2483 R.P., a juvenile, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender, and Robin H. Greene, Asst. Public Defender, for appellant.

Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., and Calvin L. Fox, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

Before HUBBART, BASKIN and JORGENSON, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

R.P. was adjudicated delinquent based upon the trial court's determination that R.P. committed a robbery when he reached into the front of an elderly woman's dress and snatched her purse. R.P. correctly argues that absent evidence of "force, violence, assault, or putting in fear," § 812.13(1), Fla.Stat. (1983), his conviction of robbery cannot stand. We agree.

The law is well settled that picking a pocket or snatching a purse is not robbery if no more force or violence is used than is necessary to remove the property from a person who does not resist. Mims v. State, 342 So.2d 116 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977); Adams v. State, 295 So.2d 114 (Fla. 2d DCA 1974); see Stufflebean v. State, 436 So.2d 244, 246 n. 3 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983). The record reveals no evidence to support the adjudication of delinquency based on robbery.

We reject R.P.'s contention that his adjudication of delinquency should be for petit theft instead of grand theft. R.P. argues that the state failed to prove a taking of more than $100, an essential element of grand theft. § 812.014(2)(b), Fla.Stat. (1983). We disagree. The victim's testimony that "it was near a hundred dollars, 'cause I get two o nine a month, and I had spent 'bout a half of it," was sufficient to establish that the purse contained more than $100 at the time it was taken. Butler v. State, 354 So.2d 437 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978); Kinsey v. State, 237 So.2d 808 (Fla. 3d DCA 1970).

For these reasons, we vacate the adjudication of delinquency based on robbery and remand with directions that the trial court adjudicate R.P. delinquent based on grand theft.

Reversed and remanded.

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7 cases
  • Robinson v. State
    • United States
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • April 24, 1997
    ...resistance by the victim that is overcome by the physical force of the offender. See S.W., 513 So.2d at 1091-92 (quoting R.P. v. State, 478 So.2d 1106 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985), review denied, 491 So.2d 281 (Fla.1986); Mims v. State, 342 So.2d 116, 117 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977); Adams v. State, 295 So.2d......
  • State v. Hatley
    • United States
    • West Virginia Supreme Court
    • March 13, 2009
    ...theft from the person to robbery unless defendant uses some degree of force to "wrest" the object from the victim.); R.P. v. State, 478 So.2d 1106 (Fla.App. 3 Dist., 1985)(picking pocket or snatching purse is not robbery if no more force or violence is used than is necessary to remove the p......
  • S.W. v. State
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • October 6, 1987
    ...dress and suddenly snatched her purse was improperly convicted of robbery, as he was only guilty of a grand theft. R.P. v. State, 478 So.2d 1106 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985), rev. denied, 491 So.2d 281 On the other hand, it seems equally apparent that where some additional force is employed to effect......
  • Robinson v. State, 94-3177
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • March 27, 1996
    ...Florida statute if no more force is used than that necessary to remove the property from a person who does not resist. R.P. v. State, 478 So.2d 1106 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985) (reaching into front of elderly woman's dress and snatching her purse was insufficient to support robbery conviction where ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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