Thompson v. State
Thompson v. State
Opinion
James Scott Thompson was indicted for one count of trafficking in cocaine, in violation of §
The burden of proof for a defendant seeking to raise the defense of entrapment is articulated in United States v.Andrews,
"A defendant who seeks to raise a defense of entrapment must first come forward with evidence sufficient to raise a jury issue 'that the government's conduct created a substantial risk that the offense would be committed by a person other than one ready to commit it.' . . . . When the defendant makes such a showing, the burden shifts to the government to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was predisposed to commit the offense charged. . . . . Appellate review of a jury decision on entrapment is directed to whether the evidence was sufficient to enable a reasonabl[e]-minded jury to reach the conclusion that the defendant was predisposed to take part in the illicit transaction."
The record reveals that Thompson presented insufficient evidence to raise a jury question on the issue of entrapment; hence the burden of proof never shifted to the State to demonstrate Thompson's predisposition to commit the offenses charged.
The State's evidence shows that on three separate occasions Thompson, at the request of undercover police officer Chuck Taylor, obtained an "8-ball" of cocaine weighing approximately one-eighth of an ounce from Thompson's supplier, Larry Anderson, and delivered it to Taylor. The State's evidence further showed that on a fourth occasion, Thompson, at the request of Taylor, obtained from Thompson's supplier 1.5 ounces of cocaine and delivered it to Taylor in exchange for $1,600.
Taylor testified that, prior to his first meeting with Thompson, Taylor had received information from the FBI that Thompson sold drugs in the Valley Avenue area of Homewood. According to Taylor, during his first conversation with Thompson, Thompson told Taylor to give him a call if he needed anything. Taylor further testified that Thompson told him that Thompson had a loud car so that people could hear him coming and would buy drugs from him like buying ice cream from an ice cream truck.
Thompson testified in his own defense that he had a cocaine habit which exceeded $200 per day and admitted that he sold the cocaine to Taylor on the four occasions in question but insisted that he was merely a courier and that he did not make any money on the transactions. Thompson also testified that he would never have bought the drugs for Taylor if Taylor had not instigated the "buys" and that he merely contacted his supplier, Larry Anderson, to get drugs for friends.
"[E]vidence that the government agent sought out or initiated contact with the defendants, or was the first to propose the illicit transaction, has been held to be insufficient to meet the defendant's burden." United States v. Andrews, supra,
Moreover, even if, arguendo, Thompson presented sufficient evidence to create a jury question on the issue of entrapment, the evidence was sufficient to support the jury's verdicts. *Page 1240
This issue was not preserved for appellate review, however, because Thompson failed to raise any of these specific arguments as grounds of objection at the trial level. During the sentencing hearing, defense counsel made a general objection to "imposition of the extra five years." A general objection which does not specify grounds preserves nothing for review. Johnson v. State,
We note, moreover, that §
The foregoing opinion was prepared by the Honorable JAMES H. FAULKNER, a Retired Supreme Court Justice, and it is hereby adopted as that of the Court.
The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- James Scott Thompson v. State.
- Cited By
- 17 cases
- Status
- Published