Walker v. State

Volanta Walker was indicted for rape. He was tried before a jury, which found him guilty of the charge. The trial court imposed a 20-year sentence, ordering Walker to serve 13 years in confinement and seven years on probation. Walker appeals, arguing that there is insufficient evidence to support the conviction and that the trial court erred in denying his challenge to the state’s striking of two African-American jurors. The arguments are without merit, and we thus affirm Walker’s conviction. 1. On appeal from a criminal conviction, this court views the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict, and the appellant no longer enjoys the presumption of innocence.1 We do not weigh the evidence or determine the credibility of witnesses, but decide only if there is sufficient evidence from which a rational trier of fact could have found the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.2

Viewed in favor of the verdict, the evidence in the instant case shows that the victim and Walker had a relationship for several years and had a child together. After the victim attempted to end their romantic relationship, Walker twice assaulted the victim by hitting, biting and threatening to kill her.