State v. Workman

BRANCH, Chief Justice.

Defendants assign as error the trial court’s denial of their motions to dismiss the charge of first-degree sexual offense on the ground that there was insufficient evidence of the essential elements of the offense to permit the jury to find defendants guilty. Specifically, defendants contend that the State failed to prove two essential elements: (1) that the sex act was without the consent of the alleged victim; and (2) that defendants displayed or employed a deadly weapon.

The crime of first-degree sexual offense is defined in G.S. 14-27.4, which provides in pertinent…