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Woodward v. State

Defendant was not entitled to a mistrial based on a witness's nonresponsive answer which negatively impacted defendant's character.

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James Woodard was found guilty of murder and felony murder in the shooting death of Max Rister and was sentenced to life imprisonment.1 He appeals from the denial of his motion for new trial, contending the trial court erred by admitting into evidence his statement to police officers and denying his motion for mistrial after a State witness improperly placed his character into evidence. Finding no error, we affirm. 1. The evidence adduced at trial authorized the jury to find that Max Rister, while a guest at a hotel in Dublin, encountered Carnell Agnew and a second, masked man, later identified as Woodard, as Rister exited his room. Woodard ordered Rister to hand over his wallet; the victim resisted, tried to run, and was shot twice. The two men then fled the area. The victim survived four months before dying from complications related to his gunshot wounds. Prior to his death, the victim positively identified Agnew as a participant in the crimes and informed police that Agnew was not the shooter because the masked man Woodard had the gun. Agnew testified at trial and identified Woodard as the shooter.

We find this evidence sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to find Woodard guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the charged crimes. Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U.S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979.

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