Baker v. State
Baker v. State
Opinion of the Court
Mario Baker appeals his conviction for felony battery
The main evidence the State presented at trial was the audio recording of a call made to a 911 operator by the alleged victim of the crime, Mr. Baker’s girlfriend. She told the operator: “My boyfriend just, um, bit me and took my phone and stuff,” but she declined the ne.ed for any medical attention. The 911 operator dispatched a police officer to the victim’s home, who observed and photographed a small bite mark on the victim’s forearm. At the trial, the police officer authenticated the photographs of the bite mark but did not testify as to any conversation he had with the victim, although he did say that when he arrived the victim was crying. The victim herself did not appear to testify at trial. Therefore, there was no testimony surrounding the circumstances leading up to the biting. The State’s proof of the various elements of battery thus consisted of the victim’s above quoted remarks to the 911 operator, the officer’s testimony about what he observed on the victim’s arm and her demeanor, and the photograph of the bite mark. The trial court denied the motion for judgment of acquittal and submitted the case to the jury, who found Mr. Baker guilty of battery. Because Mr. Baker had at least one prior conviction for battery, he was adjudicated guilty of felony battery.
“The rule is well established that the prosecution, in order to present a pri-ma facie case, is required to prove each and every element of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, and when the prosecution fails to meet this burden, the case should not be submitted to the jury, and a judgment of acquittal should be granted.” Baugh v. State, 961 So.2d 198, 203-04, 2007 WL 1215130 (Fla. April 26, 2007) (quoting Williams v. State, 560 So.2d 1304, 1306 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990)). We review de novo the denial of a motion for acquittal. Pagan v. State, 830 So.2d 792, 803 (Fla. 2002).
The crime of battery is defined in section 784.03(1)(a), Florida Statutes (2005), and occurs when a person: “(1) actually and intentionally touches or strikes another person against the will of the other; or (2) intentionally causes bodily harm to another person.” For the State to overcome a defense motion for judgment of acquittal, the State had to present prima facie evidence that Mr. Baker intentionally bit the
Because the State failed to present a prima facie case of battery, the trial court should have granted Mr. Baker’s motion for judgment of acquittal. Accordingly, we reverse Mr. Baker’s conviction and vacate his sentence for battery.
Conviction reversed, sentence vacated, and case remanded with instructions to discharge Mr. Baker.
. § 784.03, Fla. Stat. (2005).
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.