What is the test for overturning a finding of not guilty in a sexual assault case?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Mroczko, G050274 (Cal. App. 2014):
An appellate court does not reevaluate witness credibility or resolve conflicts in the evidence (People v. Young (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1149, 1181), and we must accept logical inferences the jury might have drawn from any circumstantial evidence. (People v. Maury (2003) 30 Cal.4th 342, 396.) The testimony of a single witness, if believed, is sufficient to establish any fact. (Evid. Code, 411; People v. Jones (2013) 57 Cal.4th 899, 963.)
While it is the jury's duty to acquit where circumstantial evidence is subject to two reasonable interpretations, one which points to guilt and one which points to innocence (People v. Kraft (2000) 23 Cal.4th 978, 1053-1054), where circumstances reasonably justify a jury's findings of fact, a reviewing court's conclusion that such circumstances might also reasonably be reconciled with contrary findings does not justify reversal. (Id. at p. 1054.)
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