Stearns v. State, 2017 Ark. App. 472

Melissa Stearns was convicted by a Pulaski County jury of first-degree murder for the January 24, 2014 stabbing death of Herschel Johnson and sentenced to 35 years.
Witness Jimmy James testified Stearns and Johnson argued; James left briefly and when he returned Johnson had been stabbed and was bleeding; Stearns appeared to hide the knife and later asked, “What happened here?”
Johnson was alive shortly after the incident and declined immediate medical help; he was found dead the next day; autopsy showed a 1.8 cm stab wound that severed the aorta and was the cause of death.
Text message from Stearns to a friend stated, “About to kill this motherfucker.”
Jailhouse confidante and others testified Stearns gave varying accounts: initially denying presence, later saying she “barely swung” the knife or that Johnson fell on it; she also admitted washing blood and hiding the knife and asked others to delete incriminating texts.
Stearns appealed, arguing the evidence was insufficient to prove the purposeful intent required for first-degree murder, asserting the facts better fit second-degree murder or manslaughter.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Sufficiency of evidence that defendant acted purposely to cause death	Stearns: evidence supports only accident, at most second-degree murder or manslaughter	State: circumstantial evidence (argument, weapon use, wounds, cover-up, incriminating text) shows purposeful intent	Court: Affirmed; substantial evidence supported purpose to cause death

Reynolds v. State, 492 S.W.3d 491 (Ark. 2016) (standard for viewing sufficiency of evidence on appeal)
Leaks v. State, 45 S.W.3d 363 (Ark. 2001) (lying and cover-up may demonstrate consciousness of guilt and support inference of intent)
Thompson v. State, 999 S.W.2d 192 (Ark. 1999) (intent may be inferred from weapon type, manner of use, and wound characteristics)