Buford v. State, 309 Ga. App. 368

Buford was involved in a September 17, 2008 robbery where an acquaintance drove him to an apartment to purportedly buy marijuana.
Inside the apartment, Buford brandished a gun and demanded the victims' cell phones and money.
Buford received a cell phone and money from victims and then fled in the acquaintance's car without permission.
police pursued Buford in the reported-stolen car; a high-speed chase ended when his vehicle crashed and he was arrested.
Buford was convicted of armed robbery (two counts: taking the cell phone and taking money) and theft by taking (the car).
Buford challenged the sufficiency of the evidence, arguing credibility issues and lack of possession of a gun by him at arrest.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Sufficiency of evidence for armed robbery by taking the cell phone	Buford argues lack of weapon and credibility issues undermine proof	State contends the gun-use and taking elements were proved by witnesses	Evidence sufficient to support armed robbery by taking the phone
Sufficiency of evidence for armed robbery by taking money	Buford claims no gun found on him and weaknesses in state case	State relies on eyewitness testimony and events showing taking with a gun	Evidence sufficient to support armed robbery by taking money
Sufficiency of evidence for theft by taking the acquaintance's car	Buford claims he had permission to use the car as planned	State shows taking and use of car without authorization	Evidence sufficient to support theft by taking

Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (U.S. Supreme Court 1979) (standard for reviewing sufficiency of evidence)
Wells v. State, 297 Ga. App. 153 (Ga. App. 2009) (credibility determinations for jury)
Cleveland v. State, 285 Ga. 142 (Ga. 2009) (credibility and conflicting testimony resolve by jury)
Feaster v. State, 283 Ga. App. 417 (Ga. App. 2007) (sufficiency to prove armed robbery where gun shown to victim)