Singleton v. State
Singleton v. State
Opinion
Georgette Singleton was indicted for trafficking in cocaine and possession of marijuana, in violation of §
"Q Had you ever been there before [appellant's apartment]?
"A Yes.
"Q What date?
"A It was July, I believe. I don't know the exact date.
"Q Did you actually go inside the house in July?
"A Yes ma'am.
"Q So you were familiar with this location?
"A Yes." (R. 110)
The appellant failed to object to this testimony. The record also reveals that the appellant did object to several subsequent references made to the July incident.
"To be timely, an objection to admission of certain evidence must be made as soon as the ground for one objection becomes apparent. By allowing the prosecution to elicit the allegedly erroneous testimony without objection and subsequently entering no motion to exclude th[e] testimony, [the appellant] waived any alleged error committed by the trial court in overruling his objections." Leverett v. State,
The record reveals that, during the second time the July incident was raised, there was a reference to the execution ofa search warrant. This also occurred during the direct examination of Officer Ratigan. The trial judge immediately instructed the jury to disregard the testimony concerning the execution of a search warrant and also explained that the testimony concerning the presence of the law enforcement officers at the appellant's residence in July was relevant to other issues in the case. We need not address the admissibility or inadmissibility of the reference to the search warrant because, even if such testimony was found to be inadmissible, the trial judge gave the jury prompt, curative instructions. When a trial court immediately instructs the jury to disregard any improper remarks, there is a prima facie presumption against error. Woods v. State,
We also point out that the appellant is responsible for the fourth reference to the July 23, 1987, visit. The following occurred during the appellant's cross-examination of Officer Ratigan:
"Q You testified earlier, and I objected strenuously to it, but you did it anyway, that you had been over to that house in June or July, something like that?
"A July.
"Q And this particular search warrant you are talking about was in October?
"A Yes, sir." (R. 206)
Certainly, if anyone called the jury's attention to the alleged inadmissible evidence, it was the appellant. *Page 691
"MR. MATHIS: I would like to put on the record, just for the record's sake, that I am going to rest simply because of the fact that the Court's prior ruling indicated to me that if I were to put on a case wherein my client were to testify, this prior act that the Court changed its mind on earlier would come in.
"THE COURT: Well, it would depend on what your client would say.
"MR. MATHIS: Well, if my client got up there and denied knowledge of the cocaine in the trunk of that automobile, which she would have to do if she took the witness stand at all, then it is my understanding that that other would come in —
"THE COURT: Well, I haven't really defined the ruling —
"MR. MATHIS: — yes, sir. So, we are not putting on a defense for that purpose. It had been our intention for my client to do just exactly that, but if that other is going to come in in that regard, then we simply will not be in a position to —
"THE COURT: Well, I appreciate you trying to pin me to the wall on it, Erskine, but I don't know what my ruling would be until I hear her testimony.
"MR. MATHIS: Well, you have certainly indicated, Your Honor, that were she to deny knowledge of that cocaine in the trunk of that automobile —
"THE COURT: That the July search may be —
"MR. MATHIS: — yes, sir.
"THE COURT: — may, may.
"MR. MATHIS: Well, I was under the impression that it had already at one point been ruled that it would be admissible anyway. And out of the goodness of the Court's heart, because of the surprise factor that we just discussed in my regard —
"THE COURT: That is a fair statement —
"MR. MATHIS: — the Court did not allow it in. So, with that in mind, those are the very reasons why I will not be putting on a case, although I had planned to.
"THE COURT: Fair enough.
"MR. MATHIS: Thank you, sir." (R. 442-444)
The trial court clearly stated that the admissibility or inadmissibility of such evidence would be determined when the question actually arose. The appellant's argument is based solely on speculation and conjecture. Since there was no adverse ruling against the appellant, there is nothing for this court to review. Hill v. State,
Without a ruling, a request for a ruling or an objection to the trial court's failure to rule, there is nothing preserved for review. Moore v. State,
Alabama Code 1975, §
Robinette v. State,"Constructive possession arises only where the illegal substance is found on premises owned or controlled by the accused. Campbell v. State,
439 So.2d 718 (Ala.Cr.App.), rev'd on other grounds,439 So.2d 723 (Ala. 1983); Williams v. State,340 So.2d 1144 (Ala.Cr.App. 1976), cert. denied,340 So.2d 1149 (Ala. 1977). When constructive possession is relied on, the prosecution must also prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused had knowledge of the presence of the controlled substances. Campbell v, State; Yarbrough v. State,405 So.2d 721 (Ala.Cr.App.), cert. denied,405 So.2d 725 (Ala. 1981). This knowledge may be inferred from the accused's exclusive possession, ownership, and control of the premises. Temple v. State,366 So.2d 740 (Ala.Cr.App. 1978). When the accused is not in exclusive possession of the premises, however, this knowledge may not be inferred unless there are other circumstances tending to buttress this inference. Korreckt v. State,507 So.2d 558 (Ala.Cr.App. 1986); Temple v. State. While non-exclusive possession may raise a suspicion that all the occupants had knowledge of the contraband found, a mere suspicion is not enough. Some evidence that connects a defendant with the contraband is required. Grubbs v. State,462 So.2d 995 (Ala.Cr.App. 1984); Temple v. State."
The record reveals the following: Officer Terry Ratigan arrived at the appellant's apartment on October 29, 1987, to execute a search warrant. He announced the arrival of the sheriff's department at the door. Upon receiving no answer, he forcibly entered the apartment by breaking the lock on the door. When Ratigan entered the apartment, he found that Officer Dennis Blanton had already entered through the back door and had stopped another individual, Joyce Johnson, in the apartment. Ratigan went to the front bedroom and saw the appellant sitting on the bed in a t-shirt and underpants. There were a couple of drinking straws that were cut in half lying on the bed with her. There was a white substance at the end of one straw that was later identified by a forensic chemist as cocaine crystals. There was also a playing card with white powder on it lying on the bed and a total of $4,100 in various denominations was also on the bed. There was also a set of car keys on the bed. Cocaine was found under the bed. Two rolls of empty pink baggies were found in a dresser drawer in the bedroom. A paper bag containing drug paraphernalia was found in the living room. Both a power bill and a cable bill addressed to the appellant at the apartment were found on top of the television in the bedroom. A phone bill addressed to Joyce Johnson at the apartment and promotional mail addressed to Joyce Johnson were also found. The appellant gave the officers the address of the apartment where the search took place asher address. Joyce Johnson gave the officers an address in Bessemer.
Officer Ratigan testified that a red Chevrolet Caprice was parked very close to the *Page 693 bedroom window where the appellant was found. The car had been backed into the parking space. He observed a partially burned marijuana cigarette from outside the vehicle. He asked the appellant if the red car was hers and she nodded her head affirmatively. Officer Blanton brought Ratigan the car keys found in the bedroom. When asked if the keys belonged to her, the appellant answered affirmatively. The keys were used to open the car and the trunk. Partially burned marijuana cigarettes were found in the car. The officers found a rolled-up towel in the trunk which contained a large clear baggie which held three smaller baggies. The three baggies were filed with pink baggies containing cocaine. There was testimony that these small baggies are very prevalent in the cocaine business. The total amount of the cocaine was 234.795 grams.
We find that the record clearly demonstrates that the evidence was sufficient to connect this appellant with the drugs at issue and establish her knowledge of the presence of the drugs. "When the presence of the accused at the scene is established and evidence of his knowledge of the presence of the illegal substance is shown — even by circumstantial evidence — along with any other incriminating evidence, the issue of the appellant's guilt should be submitted to the jury." Moore, at 986. The motion for judgment of acquittal was properly denied.
The record reveals that the law enforcement officers had information that the appellant kept drugs in her car. A partially burned marijuana cigarette was visible from outside the vehicle. The search was not conducted until after contraband was seized from the appellant's apartment. Therefore, the officers had probable cause to search the vehicle. See Robinette; Stanfield v. State,
The affidavit for the October search stated that the affiant had spoken with a reliable, confidential informant and that the informant had been present in the appellant's residence within the past 48 hours and observed a quantity of cocaine. The affidavit further stated that the informant had given the affiant reliable information *Page 694 in the past and that the informant was familiar with the use, appearance and packaging of cocaine. The affidavit also stated that an independent investigation revealed that the address where the informant saw the cocaine was, in fact, the appellant's residence.
"The task of the issuing magistrate is simply to make a practical, common sense decision whether, given all the circumstances set forth in the affidavit before him, including the veracity and basis of knowledge of persons supplying hearsay information, there is a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in a particular place. And the duty of a reviewing court is simply to ensure that the magistrate had a substantial basis for . . . conclud[ing] that probable cause exists."Illinois v. Gates,
The prosecutor stated that, in drug related cases the primary type of juror she was looking for was an older, married individual with children. She stated that she was primarily looking for jurors with a family background. The record indicates that the State struck all young, single people on the panel. These include a white male, a black male and a black female. The prosecutor stated that the third black juror was removed "in light of her answers to the questions about she would want to know where the drugs came from." (R. 95) The record also indicates that, of the two black jurors who served on the jury one was an older male who was married and retired and the other was a young woman who was married with children.
We find that the record sufficiently demonstrates that the State did not exercise its peremptory strikes in a racially discriminatory manner. The record indicates that the State struck a non-black juror for substantially the same reasons as two of the black jurors. Such evidence of neutrality may overcome the presumption of discrimination. Pollard v. State,
The trial court's findings are to be given great deference on appeal. Batson,
For the reasons stated above, this case is due to be, and it is hereby, affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Georgette Singleton, Alias v. State.
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published