State v. Rivers ( 2014 )

THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE
CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals
The State, Respondent,
v.
Maurio Daetrel Rivers, Appellant.
Appellate Case No. 2012-213729
Appeal From Colleton County
Diane Schafer Goodstein, Circuit Court Judge
Unpublished Opinion No. 2014-UP-441
Heard November 5, 2014 – Filed December 3, 2014
AFFIRMED
Appellate Defender Carmen Vaughn Ganjehsani, of
Columbia, for Appellant.
Attorney General Alan McCrory Wilson and Assistant
Attorney General Mary Shannon Williams, both of
Columbia, for Respondent.
PER CURIAM: Maurio Rivers appeals his conviction for attempted murder,
arguing the trial court erred in denying his motion for a directed verdict and not
instructing the jury as to the required specific intent to kill for an attempted murder
conviction. We affirm pursuant to Rule 220(b), SCACR, and the following
authorities: State v. Baccus, 367 S.C. 41, 48, 625 S.E.2d 216, 220 (2006) ("In
criminal cases, the appellate court sits to review errors of law only."); State v.
Odems, 395 S.C. 582, 586, 720 S.E.2d 48, 50 (2011) ("On appeal from the denial
of a directed verdict, [the appellate court] must view the evidence in the light most
favorable to the State."); id. ("[I]f there is any direct or substantial circumstantial
evidence reasonably tending to prove the guilt of the accused, an appellate court
must find the case was properly submitted to the jury.") (emphasis in original);
Clark v. Cantrell, 339 S.C. 369, 389, 529 S.E.2d 528, 539 (2000) ("An appellate
court will not reverse the trial court's decision regarding jury instructions unless the
trial court abused its discretion."); id. ("An abuse of discretion occurs when the
trial court's ruling is based on an error of law or, when grounded in factual
conclusions, is without evidentiary support."); Sheppard v. State, 357 S.C. 646,
665, 594 S.E.2d 462, 472-73 (2004) (holding "the trial court is required to charge
only the current and correct law of South Carolina" and stating "[a] jury charge is
correct if it contains the correct definition of the law when read as a whole").
AFFIRMED.
FEW, C.J., and LOCKEMY, J., and CURETON, A.J., concur.