State v. Williams

BRANCH, Chief Justice.

A motion for directed verdict has the same legal effect as a motion for judgment of nonsuit and challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to go to the jury. State v. Glover, 270 N.C. 319, 154 S.E. 2d 305 (1967). The motion presents to the Court the question of whether there is substantial evidence of each essential element of the crime charged or a lesser included offense, and the question of whether defendant was the perpetrator of the crime. “Substantial evidence is such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” State v.…