State v. Chez
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In this case decided by the Supreme Court of Rhode Island, the defendant, Mark Chez, appealed his conviction for carrying a pistol without a license. The case stemmed from an incident on May 30, 2020, when a police officer, in an unmarked police car, observed Chez in a suspicious situation. The officer recognized Chez as having outstanding arrest warrants. When the police moved towards the vehicle where Chez was seated, Chez fled, during which the officer observed him throw an object, believed to be a firearm, from his pocket. A police dog subsequently located a firearm in the area where the officer saw Chez discard the object.
Chez was charged, tried, and convicted of carrying a pistol without a license. On appeal, Chez argued that the trial justice erred in denying his motion for a judgment of acquittal and his motion for a new trial, contending that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction, and that the weight of the evidence did not support the jury's verdict.
The Supreme Court, after a de novo review of the evidence, held that there was more than sufficient evidence to support a reasonable inference of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The court noted that Chez was recognized by multiple officers, was observed running away from the police with a weighted object in his pocket, and that a firearm was discovered in the specific area where an officer observed him throw the object. Accordingly, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court, upholding Chez's conviction.
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