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Sanders v. StateSanders v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida
Jul 12, 2000
1D99-2302
Reporters:
,
Before:
Booth, Miner, Van Nortwick (per curiam)

PER CURIAM.

Rosalyn Ann Sanders appeals her conviction for first degree murder, arguing that the evidence was insufficient as a matter of law to establish premeditation and that ‍​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‍the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to grant a continuance of the trial to allow appellant the opportunity to retain different trial counsel. Appellant failed to preserve her insufficiency of the evidence issue, however, because she failed to file a motion for judgment of acquittal at trial raising this issue. See James ‍​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‍v. State, 745 So.2d 1141, 1142-43 (Fla. 1st DCA 1999); Woods v. State, 733 So.2d 980, 984-85 (Fla.1999). Further, we have held that the state‘s failure to prove all elements of a charged offense does not constitute “fundamental error” which may be raised for the first time on appeal. James, 745 So.2d at 1142-43. As to ‍​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‍the fundamental error question, we certify conflict with T.E.J., v. State, 749 So.2d 557 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000); Stanton v. State, 746 So.2d 1229 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999); and Brown v. State, 652 So.2d 877 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995).

As to the continuance issue, we find no abuse of discretion in the trial court, after finding that defense counsel ‍​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‍was prepared to go forward, refusing to grant a continuance. See Robinson v. State, 325 So.2d 427 (Fla. 1st DCA 1976).

Accordingly, we AFFIRM.

BOOTH, MINER AND VAN NORTWICK, JJ., CONCUR.

Case Details

Case Name: Sanders v. State
Court Name: District Court of Appeal of Florida
Date Published: Jul 12, 2000
Citations: 765 So. 2d 778; 2000 WL 1160449; 1D99-2302
Docket Number: 1D99-2302
Court Abbreviation: Fla. Dist. Ct. App.
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