State v. Rousan, 53570

Citation752 S.W.2d 388
Decision Date26 April 1988
Docket NumberNo. 53570,53570
PartiesSTATE of Missouri, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Joseph ROUSAN, Defendant-Appellant.
CourtCourt of Appeal of Missouri (US)

Dave Hemingway, St. Louis, for defendant-appellant.

William L. Webster, Atty. Gen., Christopher M. Kehr, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, for plaintiff-respondent.

REINHARD, Judge.

Defendant was convicted by a jury of stealing property valued at $150.00 or more, a felony, § 570.030.3(1), RSMo 1986, and third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, § 565.070.1(1), RSMo 1986. He was sentenced by the court on the stealing count as a persistent offender to 10 years' imprisonment and, following the recommendation of the jury, on the assault count to a concurrent six-month prison term and a $500.00 fine. He appeals; we affirm. 1

In his principal point, defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support submission of the stealing count; therefore, in determining whether there was sufficient evidence, we accept as true all evidence tending to prove defendant guilty together with all reasonable inferences which support the verdict. We ignore all contrary evidence and inferences. State v. Barnes, 736 S.W.2d 471, 472 (Mo.App.1987).

The evidence indicates early in the evening on July 10, 1986, defendant and his wife picked up Rocky and Linda Otts in defendant's car and drove to the Dillard's department store in the South County Shopping Center. Defendant parked his car across from the south entrance to Dillard's, in the parking spot nearest to the door. Both couples entered the store. At about 6:30 p.m. Gregory Thomas, a Dillard's sales clerk was working in the men's merchandise area of the store, which is adjacent to the south entrance. He saw defendant, his wife, and the Otts couple examining men's Polo shirts the store sold. At least one of the women in the group was seen handling shirts. Thomas offered to assist them, but they all refused. Thereafter, Thomas saw the couples walking together toward the south entrance, and he noticed something bright-colored protruding from one of the women's purses. He went to the security office, located nearby, and told the police officers present he suspected the two couples he had seen handling the Polo shirts were shoplifting.

South County Police Officer Phillip Andrew was working as a security officer for the store that evening, and Officers Bradley Vogel and Perry Williams were also present in the security office. The officers were all wearing their police uniforms. Upon hearing Thomas's report, the officers went to investigate. Thomas pointed-out the couples to the officers.

The two couples were about to exit the store, so one of the officers called out for them to stop, that the officers wished to speak with them. All four persons looked at the officers and ran from the store. They ran to defendant's car and got in. Defendant was in the driver's seat, and he started the car. The officers pursued them, yelling for them to stop. Williams ran to the rear of the car, putting his hand on the trunk and yelling "Stop, the police!" One of the males in the car said, "Let's get the f___ out of here!" Looking over his shoulder at Williams, defendant accelerated the car backwards out of the parking space, squealing the tires. Williams jumped out of the way, yelled at them to stop, and pursued them on foot as the car sped away forward. He commandeered a postal vehicle and followed defendant's car. As defendant sped through the parking lot one or more of the persons in the car threw three shirts out of the window.

Meanwhile, Andrew, in a marked police car, and Vogel, on foot, moved to block defendant's escape route. Defendant stopped in front of Andrew's car, and the postal vehicle was pulled in behind him. All four persons in the car were arrested. In the car were found three Polo shirts under the driver's seat, one Polo shirt under a towel in the back seat, and the two...

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11 cases
  • State v Whalen
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • May 16, 2000
    ...to the verdict and ignores all contrary evidence and inferences. State v. Grim, 854 S.W.2d 403, 405 (Mo. banc 1993); State v. Rousan, 752 S.W.2d 388, 389 (Mo.App. E.D. 1988). Appellate review is limited to a determination of whether there is sufficient evidence from which a reasonable juror......
  • State v. Galvan
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • October 23, 1990
    ...the evidence, but only determine whether there is evidence adequate from which reasonable persons could find guilt. State v. Rousan, 752 S.W.2d 388, 390 (Mo.App.1988). Defendant asserts the evidence was insufficient to sustain a conviction on Count VIII, stealing, because there was insuffic......
  • State v. Rodney, WD
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • September 27, 1988
    ...with all reasonable inferences which support the verdict; all contrary evidence and inferences will be ignored. State v. Rousan, 752 S.W.2d 388, 389 (Mo.App.1988). In reviewing a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, appellate review is limited to a determination of whether there is......
  • State v. Sladek, 74230
    • United States
    • Missouri Supreme Court
    • June 30, 1992
    ...together with all reasonable inferences that support the verdict, and all contrary evidence and inferences are ignored. State v. Rousan, 752 S.W.2d 388, 389 (Mo.App.1988). The State was required to prove Sladek had "sexual intercourse with another person to whom he is not married and who is......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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