State v. Stokes

Toal, Justice:

Appellant Richard Wayne Stokes was convicted of armed robbery, conspiracy, possession of a sawed-off shotgun and one count of kidnapping. The dispositive issue in this case is whether the trial judge used the appropriate standard in denying Stokes’ motion for a directed verdict where the State’s case was based on circumstantial evidence.

This Court recently held in State v. Edwards, 298 S. C. 272, 379 S. E. (2d) 888 (1989), that the appropriate standard to be used by a trial judge in ruling on a motion for a directed verdict where the State relies exclusively on circumstantial…