After a jury trial, Appellant Quincy Marcel Jackson was found guilty of three counts of burglary, two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of kidnapping with bodily injury, two counts of armed robbery, one count of kidnapping, three counts of aggravated assault, and the malice murder of Tedla Lemma. The trial court entered judgments of conviction on those guilty verdicts and sentenced Appellant, in the aggregate, to life imprisonment plus 30 years. A motion for new trial was denied, and he appeals. Construed most strongly in support of the verdicts, the evidence shows that on November 7, 2007, Lorna Araya drove Appellant and Ramone Ferguson to the house where the brothers Sirak and Tedla Lemma lived. Tedla Lemma was partially paralyzed due to being shot in the head during a robbery that had occurred many years ago. Appellant and Ferguson, armed with guns and silver duct tape, entered the house through the garage. Appellant hit Sirak Lemma in the head with his gun, instructed him to lie on the ground, tied his hands with duct tape, and took his cell phone, car key, and $4000 in cash from his pockets. Appellant and Ferguson then forced Tedla Lemma to lie down, and they tied his hands with duct tape and stole his wallet. After the intruders asked for his safe, Sirak Lemma led them to his bedroom and unlocked the safe, from which the men stole $50,000. The men shoved Sirak Lemma into a closet and then left. After hearing the men leave, Sirak Lemma ran downstairs to attend to his brother and to call the police. When Appellant and Ferguson left the house with the $50,000 in cash, they entered the getaway car driven by Ms. Araya. The group returned to Ms. Araya’s house and split the money between them.
The second crime occurred on December 27, 2007 when Sunram Mahabal awoke to banging on his front door. He went downstairs and saw two men wearing reflective vests who he believed were police. However, the two men were Appellant and Marshae Brooks, who pulled a gun on Mr. Mahabal. Ms. Araya and Ferguson were waiting in the getaway car on the street. After an initial struggle, the men tied Mr. Mahabal’s hands and feet and put a hood over his head. The men demanded money, jewelry, and the location of the safe.
