In the Interest of R. J. S.
In the Interest of R. J. S.
Opinion of the Court
The juvenile court adjudicated 15-year-old R. J. S. delinquent for acts, which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted two counts of armed robbery and one count of obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
When considering the sufficiency of the evidence to support a juvenile court’s adjudication of delinquency, this court applies the standard set forth in Jackson v. Virginia,
Viewed in a light favorable to the juvenile court’s findings, the evidence showed that on December 2, 2004, a male wearing jeans, a dark jacket, and a black ski mask concealing his face approached two
A responding police officer, who had been told that the perpetrator was a black male wearing jeans, a black coat, a ski mask, and a black stocking cap, spotted a black male wearing a black coat and a black stocking cap running about three blocks from the crime scene. The officer activated the blue lights of his vehicle, followed the male in the cruiser, and then chased him on foot, ordering him to stop. As the officer rounded a corner during the foot chase, he noticed a ski mask and a black stocking cap lying on the ground. The officer caught the fleeing suspect and identified him at trial as R. J. S.
One of the two victims testified that, within five minutes of reporting the incident, police brought a suspect to them and asked whether the person was the perpetrator. Both victims observed that the person was wearing the same clothing as was the perpetrator and therefore told police that he possibly was the one.
R. J. S. denied that he took any purse at knifepoint. He claimed and presented witnesses who testified that he had been at his girlfriend’s home that evening. R. J. S. testified that as he was walking from his girlfriend’s home, he saw a police car and merely “stepped back”; an officer ordered him to stop; and he complied.
On appeal, R. J. S. argues that the evidence against him was entirely circumstantial and failed to exclude every other reasonable hypothesis except that he committed the acts underlying his adjudication of delinquency.
Judgment affirmed.
OCGA § 16-8-41 (a) (armed robbery is committed when a person, with intent to commit theft, takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another by use of an offensive weapon); OCGA§ 16-10-24 (obstruction is committed when a person knowingly and willfully obstructs or hinders any law enforcement officer in the lawful discharge of his official duty).
443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979); In the Interest of T. N., 254 Ga. App. 330, 331 (562 SE2d 374) (2002).
In the Interest of R. H., 266 Ga. App. 751 (598 SE2d 369) (2004).
Id.
See In re E. A. D., 271 Ga. App. 531, 532 (610 SE2d 153) (2005).
See Wooten v. State, 234 Ga. App. 451, 452 (1) (507 SE2d 202) (1998).
See id.
See In the Interest of S. D. T. E., 268 Ga. App. 685, 687 (1) (603 SE2d 316) (2004); In the Interest of R. H., supra at 752-753; Johnson v. State, 264 Ga. App. 889, 891-892 (2) (592 SE2d 507) (2003).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In the Interest of R. J. S., a child
- Cited By
- 24 cases
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- Published