A jury found Appellant Omar Lashley guilty of felony murder during the commission of aggravated assault. In addition, he was found guilty of possessing a firearm while committing the murder. The trial court entered judgments of conviction on the guilty verdicts, and imposed a life sentence for murder and a consecutive five-year term of imprisonment for the weapons offense. Appellant filed a motion for new trial and, after the trial court denied that motion, he brings this appeal. 1. The victim, Catina Jordan, was appellant’s girlfriend. After they fought over his suspected relationship with another woman, she drove to the home of her mother and stepfather. She asked her stepfather to accompany her when she returned home to drive Appellant to work. He agreed and, on arrival, asked Appellant if he had a gun. Appellant said that he did not, and the three left in the victim’s car. Appellant sat in the back, with Ms. Jordan in the front passenger seat and her stepfather driving. As the car pulled away, an argument began, and Appellant hit the victim several times. Her stepfather stopped the vehicle, and they all got out. Appellant drew a gun from his jacket. Multiple shots were fired, three of which struck Ms. Jordan. She collapsed and died. Appellant fled the scene in the victim’s car, but surrendered to authorities a few days later and stated at that time that he murdered the victim. At trial, however, Appellant testified that he did not intend to shoot or threaten her, and that the “raggedy gun” simply discharged. The weapon belonged to Ms. Jordan, and he testified that he had removed it from his pocket because she asked him to return it to her.
Construing this evidence most strongly in support of the jury’s verdicts, it was sufficient to authorize a rational trier of fact to find proof beyond a reasonable doubt of Appellant’s guilt of felony murder while committing aggravated assault on Ms. Jordan and of possessing a firearm during the commission of murder. Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979.
