Bradley v. State
Bradley v. State
Opinion
Appellant was convicted of burglary in the third degree in violation of ยง
The state's evidence tended to show that the appellant, Billy Hagan Bradley, together with Danny Joe Bradley and James Robert Barnes, decided to burglarize a store so they set fire to a vacant house in Piedmont, Alabama, to divert the local authorities. They then proceeded to the Miller Hardware Store, where they effected entry by throwing a large chunk of concrete through the glass. Taken from the store were several handguns, some ammunition and several Timex watches. The following morning a search warrant was obtained upon the affidavit of Police Chief Amberson of Piedmont, and authorities proceeded to a house trailer, where they found the *Page 175 appellant, his brother Danny, his brother's wife, and James Robert Barnes. In one room they found appellant sitting on a mattress; they also found a watch and a .25 caliber pistol taken from the hardware store the night before lying on the floor by the mattress. A further search of the premises produced two more weapons. Thereafter, Danny Bradley took the officers to a location about six miles from Piedmont, where he showed them other weapons taken in the burglary.
At the trial of the appellant, James Robert Barnes testified as a state's witness saying that he and both Bradley brothers participated in the burglary of Miller's Hardware. One week after this trial, appellant's brother, Danny Bradley, executed an affidavit stating that Barnes, the state's witness, had committed the burglary alone. The affiant, Danny Bradley, entered his guilty plea two days after he executed the affidavit. This affidavit was offered in support of appellant's renewed motion for new trial.
The search warrant affidavit stated:
"My name is David Amberson. I'm a Police Officer with the City of Piedmont, Alabama. During the night of December 28, 1981, Miller Hardware Store in Piedmont was burglarized. Taken in this burglary were several handguns, some ammunition and approximately four (4) Timex watches. A complete description of the guns is presently being compiled by Mr. Miller. I have a confidential and reliable police informant who has proved to be reliable in the past by giving me information that has led to the recovery of stolen property and the arrest and conviction of several persons. My informant has told me that he has seen the guns and ammunition stolen from Miller Hardware at a house trailer located at 605 Ray Street, Piedmont, Alabama in the possession of Billy Hagan Bradley, Jr. The Bradley subject has a reputation of committing burglary and has just been released from probation on a burglary case. I believe the property stolen from Miller Hardware to be on the above-described premises."
The trial court conducted a hearing out of the presence of the jury on the defendant's motion to suppress. The motion was denied. Applying the "totality of the circumstances" test ofIllinois v. Gates,
"Q You inventoried; okay. Relative to this particular case here, what is the total evidence that was seized, that my client is charged with possession from the burglary?
"A I would have to see the list, but โ *Page 176
"Q Found in that particular bedroom.
"A That particular bedroom, the only thing that was taken was a watch and the pistol.
"Q Watch and pistol. Any other evidence from that trailer that my client is charged with possessing?
"A I'm not sure. There were several boxes of shotgun shells and I'm not sure if it came out of that one or one he's charged with in Cherokee County.
"MR. LEVINSON [Defendant's attorney]: Your Honor, I would move that last statement be stricken. I would further move for a mistrial based on the statement of Sergeant Parris.
"THE COURT: Overrule the motion, and direct the jury to disregard that aspect of the witness's testimony. Don't give it any weight at all in your deliberations. This Defendant is charged only with those things with which he is accused in the indictment in this case.
"You may continue."
Where the trial court immediately instructs the jury not to consider a fact, that instruction in effect removes or excludes that matter from the jury's consideration. The prejudicial effect of the statement is deemed to be cured by such instructions. Richardson v. State,
The court next found the evidence to be merely cumulative and impeaching in nature. We agree. The court then found that the allegedly newly-discovered evidence probably would not change the result if a new trial were granted. Again we agree. Granting or denying motions such as this one lies largely within the sound discretion of the trial judge. The decision of the lower court should not be reversed by an appellate court in the absence of an abuse of discretion. Page v. State,
This case is due to be affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All Judges concur, except HARRIS, J., who dissents.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Billy Hagan Bradley v. State.
- Cited By
- 18 cases
- Status
- Published