Landmark California Cases on Sufficiency of Evidence Assessment

"In assessing the sufficiency of the evidence, we review the entire record in the light most favorable to the judgment to determine whether it discloses evidence that is reasonable, credible, and of solid value such that a reasonable trier of fact could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. . Reversal on this ground is unwarranted unless it appears 'that upon no hypothesis whatever is there sufficient substantial evidence to support the conviction.' ." (People v. Bolin (1998) 18 Cal.4th 297, 331 (Bolin).) "We normally consider three kinds of evidence to determine whether a finding of premeditation and deliberation is adequately supported--preexisting motive, planning activity, and manner of killing--but 'these factors need not be present in any particular combination to find substantial evidence of premeditation and deliberation.' . If the evidence of preexisting motive and planning activity by itself is sufficient to support the first degree murder conviction on a theory of premeditation and deliberation, we need not review the evidence concerning the manner of killing. ." (People v. Jennings (2010) 50 Cal.4th 616, 645-646.) "A first degree murder conviction will be upheld when there is extremely strong evidence of planning, or when there is evidence of motive with evidence of either planning or manner. ." (People v. Romero (2008) 44 Cal.4th 386, 401 (Romero).)