Lawson v. State

Extensive medical evidence authorized the jury to find that defendant's actions in beating the 74-year-old victim about his head, face and neck either materially contributed to the victim's death or materially accelerated it.

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Jesse Christopher Lawson was convicted of felony murder in the beating death of Hollis Goddard. He appeals from the denial of his motion for new trial1 asserting that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. Finding no error, we affirm.

1. Evidence was adduced at trial that on the night of July 6, 1994 appellant went to the trailer home of Goddard, who was 74 years old, and beat the victim about his head, face and neck with his fists. Witnesses testified that they saw appellant coming from the direction of the victim’s home in an intoxicated condition with blood on his hands and shirt; appellant made statements to them relating that he had just beaten and killed another person. The afternoon of the following day, neighbors of the victim found him alive, but bruised and bloody. He related that he had been beaten and robbed the night before. The victim was taken to a local hospital. Because nineteen hours had passed from the initial assault and the victim was coherent and alert, medical personnel treated his superficial injuries and released him from the hospital. On July 8, the victim was found by neighbors on the floor of his trailer, confused and with fresh blood coming from his ears. He was returned to the hospital where tests ultimately determined he had sustained subdural hematomas, which are blood clots which form between the inside of the skull and the outer surface of the brain. Surgery was performed but complications set in and the victim died on July 20, 1994, two weeks after appellant’s attack.

Lawson v. State

Extensive medical evidence authorized the jury to find that defendant's actions in beating the 74-year-old victim about his head, face and neck either materially contributed to the victim's death or materially accelerated it.

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