Lampkins v. State
Lampkins v. State
Opinion of the Court
ON PETITION FOR REHEARING
Defendant Gregory Lampkins, pro se, seeks rehearing from our decision in Lampkins v. State, 682 N.E.2d 1268 (Ind. 1997), in which we affirmed his conviction for Dealing in Cocaine, a class A felony.
The full background of defendant’s case is available at Lampkins v. State, 682 N.E.2d 1268. We recite only those facts necessary to our decision on rehearing. Defendant was charged with and convicted of Dealing in Cocaine after a legitimate stop and search of the car in which he was a passenger yielded a Tylenol bottle containing twenty-one rocks of -crack cocaine; the driver of the car also was charged and convicted. See Cooley v. State, 682 N.E.2d 1277 (Ind. 1997). According to testimony from the investigating officers, the Tylenol bottle was “in plain view” beneath the passenger seat in which defendant had been riding.
In order to obtain defendant’s conviction for Dealing in Cocaine,, the State was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant (a) possessed cocaine (b) with intent to deliver.
The capability element was established because the Tylenol bottle was within reach of defendant. Lampkins, 682 N.E.2d at 1275. As to the intent element, there must be “additional circumstances” supporting the inference of intent to maintain dominion and control when possession is nonexclusive. Fassoth, 525 N.E.2d at 323; Davenport v. State, 464 N.E.2d 1302, 1307 (Ind. 1984). To establish the intent element here, we cited three additional circumstances. Lampkins, 682 N.E.2d at 1276. First, co-
In his Petition for Rehearing, defendant points out that the principal “plain view” ease, Minnesota v. Dickerson, 508 U.S. 366, 113 S.Ct. 2130, 124 L.Ed.2d 334 (1993), permits invocation of the doctrine only where the incriminating character of the contraband is immediately apparent. Id. at 374-375, 113 S.Ct. at 2136-2137. There is nothing, argues defendant, “immediately apparent” about the incriminating character of a Tylenol bottle. Defendant’s contention that a closed Tylenol bottle does not constitute contraband in plain view is well taken.
. Ind.Code § 35-48-4-1(2) (1993). Defendant was also found to be an habitual offender.
. Ind.Code § 3 5-48-4-1 (2) (1993).'
. The investigating officers testified that at the time they seized the Tylenol bottle they did not know that it "contained anything contraband.”
. The fact that we find the contraband was not "in plain view” is significant only as to whether there was a sufficient showing of Lampkins’s intent necessary to establish constructive possession of the drugs. The seizure of the Tylenol bottle was valid as it was conducted pursuant to the driver's consent. Cooley, 682 N.E.2d at 1279.
Dissenting Opinion
dissents, believing the evidence is insufficient to sustain the conviction.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Gregory L. LAMPKINS, Appellant (Defendant Below), v. STATE of Indiana, Appellee (Plaintiff Below)
- Cited By
- 109 cases
- Status
- Published