Frasier v. State
Frasier v. State
Opinion
The appellant, Sheree Childress Frasier, was convicted of attempted unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, a violation of § 13A-2-203 and §
"A person commits the crime of unlawful distribution of controlled substances if, except as otherwise authorized, he sells, furnishes, gives away, manufactures, delivers or distributes a controlled substance enumerated in Schedules I through V."
Section
"(a) A person is guilty of an attempt to commit a controlled substance crime if he engages in the conduct defined in Section
13A-4-2 (a), and the crime attempted is a controlled substance crime."
Section
"`"The trial court's denial of a motion for a judgment of acquittal must be reviewed by determining whether there existed legal evidence before the jury, at the time the motion was made, from which the jury by fair inference could have found the appellant guilty. Thomas v. State,
363 So.2d 1020 (Ala.Cr.App. 1978). In applying this standard, the appellate court will determine only if legal evidence was presented from which the jury could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Willis v. State,447 So.2d 199 (Ala.Cr.App. 1983)."'"
Burell v. State,
"It is not the province of this court to reweigh the evidence. Walker v. State,
416 So.2d 1083 (Ala.Crim.App. 1982). As a rule this court will uphold the trial judge's decision judgment based on a jury verdict unless that decision was palpably contrary to the weight of the evidence and manifestly wrong. Raines v. State,428 So.2d 206 (Ala.Crim.App. 1983); Watkins v. State,565 So.2d 1227 (Ala.Crim.App. 1990)."
The State presented evidence that late in the afternoon on April 10, 1996, the appellant went to Charlie's Go-Go-Club. Lisa Parker, a waitress at Charlie's, testified that she gave the appellant $5 for one Lortab pill. Additionally, Charlene Gallant, the operator of Charlie's, testified, "I seen Lisa sit down at the table [with the appellant]. I saw their hands connect like something had been passed between them, you know, like a note or anything. At that time I didn't know what it was." (R. 41.) Furthermore, Gallant testified that Parker told her that the appellant had sold her a Lortab pill.
The appellant presented conflicting evidence about the price of the pill. While cross-examining Parker, the appellant elicited testimony that Parker was not positive she gave the appellant money for the pill. The appellant also presented evidence indicating that Gallant did not see what passed between Parker and the appellant. Finally, she presented evidence tending to show that the pill supposedly sold to Parker was never found.
The evidence presented by the State and the appellant was conflicting. Therefore, it created a question of fact for the jury. Moreover, questions of credibility are for the jury to resolve. Petway v. State,
The appellant also makes a confusing argument involving the uncorroborated testimony of an unindicted co-conspirator. However, she raises this issue for the first time on appeal. Therefore, it is not properly preserved for our review. Wasp v. State,
"In addition to any penalties heretofore or hereafter provided by law for any person convicted of an unlawful sale of a controlled substance, there is hereby imposed a penalty of five years incarceration in a state corrections facility with no provision for probation if the situs of such unlawful sale was on the campus or within a three-mile radius of the campus boundaries of any public or private school, college, university or other educational institution in this state."
Section
"In addition to any penalties heretofore or hereafter provided by law for any person convicted of an unlawful sale of a controlled substance, there is hereby imposed a penalty of five years incarceration in a state corrections facility with no provision for probation if the situs of such unlawful sale was within a three-mile radius of a public housing project owned by a housing authority."
"In Cavender v. State,
During the sentencing hearing, the State asked that the appellant's sentence be enhanced pursuant to §§
"Charlie's Go-Go, where this occurred, the address is 501 Minor Parkway, which is in Birmingham. That's within three miles of Minor Elementary and [Minor] Senior High. Also, it's within three miles of the Brickyard, which is a housing project."
(R. 171-72.) The State presented no other evidence regarding the distance from the attempted sale to the location of the two schools or the housing project. Testimony by the prosecutor alone is not sufficient to permit the trial court to take judicial notice of the distance from the sale to a schoolyard or housing project. Hester v. State,
Accordingly, we remand this case with directions that the trial court hold a new sentencing hearing to determine whether the attempted sale occurred within three miles of Minor Elementary School, Minor Senior High School, or the Brickyard Housing Project. We remind the trial court that, if it finds that both the schoolyard and housing-project enhancements apply, the sentences imposed pursuant to each enhancement statute must be served consecutively. The trial court shall take all necessary action to ensure that the circuit clerk makes due return to this court at the earliest possible time and within 56 days of the release of this opinion. The return to remand shall include a new sentencing order, a transcript of the proceedings, *Page 185 and exhibits, if any, introduced at the hearing.
REMANDED WITH DIRECTIONS.
Long, P.J., and McMillan, Cobb, and Brown, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Sheree Childress Frasier v. State.
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published