Adam Lloyd Grubb v. Commonwealth of Kentucky

CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedJune 1, 2023
Docket2022 CA 000910
StatusUnknown

This text of Adam Lloyd Grubb v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Adam Lloyd Grubb v. Commonwealth of Kentucky) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adam Lloyd Grubb v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, (Ky. Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

RENDERED: JUNE 2, 2023; 10:00 A.M. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED

Commonwealth of Kentucky Court of Appeals

NO. 2022-CA-0910-MR

ADAM LLOYD GRUBB APPELLANT

APPEAL FROM KNOX CIRCUIT COURT v. HONORABLE MICHAEL O. CAPERTON, JUDGE ACTION NO. 21-CR-00148

COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY APPELLEE

OPINION AFFIRMING IN PART, REVERSING IN PART, AND REMANDING

** ** ** ** **

BEFORE: THOMPSON, CHIEF JUDGE; KAREM AND MCNEILL, JUDGES.

KAREM, JUDGE: Adam Lloyd Grubb appeals from a Knox Circuit Court

judgment and sentence after a jury convicted him of trafficking in a controlled

substance, first degree, first offense; operating a motor vehicle under the influence

of intoxicants, first offense; possession of drug paraphernalia; failure to wear a

seatbelt; and being a persistent felony offender in the second degree. He was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. After careful review, we affirm the judgment

in all respects but the sentence. We reverse the part of the judgment imposing

sentence and remand solely for a new sentencing hearing in accordance with the

framework set forth in Commonwealth v. Reneer, 734 S.W.2d 794, 798 (Ky. 1987).

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Grubb testified at his trial that he was at home with his three sons

when his cousin, Tammy Sparks, accompanied by an unidentified man, arrived at

his house at approximately 1:00 o’clock in the morning. Sparks asked Grubb to

drive them home. On the way, she changed her mind and asked to be dropped off

at the T-Mart. After Grubb left Sparks and the man at the T-Mart, he noticed that a

makeup bag and small black zip-top pouch had been left behind in his car. Grubb

claimed to be worried about their contents because he knew his cousin once had

marijuana in the black container and he did not want to leave the items in his car

where his children might find them. He stuck the zip-top container under the

steering wheel and placed the other on the floor by the door. After driving out of

the T-Mart, he was pulled over by Officer Karl Middleton.

Middleton testified that he observed a Ford Mustang leave the T-Mart

without signaling. When he checked its license plate number, the registration

indicated the vehicle should be a Toyota Camry. Middleton stopped the Mustang

and observed that Grubb was not wearing a seatbelt, had bloodshot eyes, and could

-2- not control the movements of his body. Middleton ordered Grubb out of the car

and conducted standard field sobriety tests. Middleton described Grubb as

displaying horizontal gaze nystagmus, a sign of stimulant usage, and testified that

he stumbled when performing the other tests.

Grubb testified that his restless behavior was due to Graves’ Disease,

which causes him to be jittery due to a high heart rate. Middleton testified on

rebuttal that Grubb did not inform him that he suffers from Graves’ Disease.

Grubb also testified that he did not fail the field sobriety tests administered by

Middleton.

Middleton asked if he could search the vehicle and Grubb initially

refused. Their accounts of what occurred afterwards differ. Middleton testified

that he had probable cause to perform a search after he spotted a glass smoking

pipe of the type used for methamphetamine, sticking out of a yellow box in the

driver’s side door panel of the car. Grubb testified Middleton told him he would

call in a police dog if he did not consent to a search. In any event, Grubb

consented to a search. Middleton found a black zip-top container attached under

the driver’s side of the dashboard with double-sided tape. It held five small

individual baggies containing a white crystal-like substance Middleton suspected

was methamphetamine. The baggies had individual stickers affixed to them, which

-3- Middleton testified was very unusual. A cut snorting straw with residue on it was

stored with the baggies.

Middleton testified that the street value of a gram of

methamphetamine was $70. He thought each baggie contained a “teen” of

methamphetamine and that the stickers on the baggies indicated the weight of the

drugs inside. He explained that a “teen” or “teenager” of methamphetamine was

8/10ths of a gram. He testified that in his training and experience, the way in

which the methamphetamine was packaged was indicative of trafficking because

the baggies were “consistent with the same weight and they are each individually

bagged for distribution.” Middleton acknowledged that a straw such as the one

recovered can be used to ingest the drugs but also stated that a seller can use his

own product. He testified, based on his experience of dealers and addicts, that

addicts do not normally stockpile their drugs, but use them right away.

On cross-examination he admitted that his search of the vehicle did

not yield any large sums of money, scales, ledgers of drug sales, or weapons. He

also admitted he had not received a tip regarding drug trafficking and did not

witness any activity which he believed to be a sale of drugs.

The trial court asked Middleton if 0.8 grams was considered a dose,

and Middleton answered that it was not. He explained that most users would use a

tenth of a gram to pull up in a syringe or to smoke. Some people would use the

-4- drug multiple times throughout the day, to keep a consistent high. Middleton also

told the judge that a user would employ their own scales to weigh out a dose from

a “teen.”

Jamie Hibbard, the state’s forensic science specialist, testified that the

contents of the five baggies weighed a total of 2.374 grams. Each baggie

contained a different quantity, with three baggies containing amounts greater than

half a gram and two containing less than half a gram.

Grubb was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance in the

first degree, first offense, two grams or more of methamphetamine; operating a

motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, first offense; possession of

drug paraphernalia; failure to wear a seat belt; and being a persistent felony

offender in the second degree.

The jury found Grubb guilty of the first four charges. During the

penalty phase, the Commonwealth presented evidence that Grubb had one prior

felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. The jury found that

Grubb was a persistent felony offender in the second degree and recommended an

enhanced total sentence of fifteen years. The trial court sentenced Grubb in

accordance with the jury’s recommendation. This appeal followed. Further facts

will be set forth below as necessary.

-5- ANALYSIS

i. The trial court did not err in denying Grubb’s motion for a directed verdict on the charge of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance

Grubb argues that he was entitled to a directed verdict on the

trafficking charge because the Commonwealth presented insufficient evidence of

intent to traffic. In moving for a directed verdict, defense counsel argued that in

most of the trafficking cases he had previously handled, the amount of drugs had

been greater and other indicia of trafficking had been present, such as cash, extra

baggies, scales, weapons, or ledgers. He further argued that the charge of driving

under the influence laid against Grubb supported the theory that he possessed the

drugs for his own use only.

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329 S.W.3d 307 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2011)
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352 S.W.3d 577 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2011)
Cole D. Ross v. Commonwealth of Kentucky
531 S.W.3d 471 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2017)
Phillip R. Conrad v. Commonwealth of Kentucky
534 S.W.3d 779 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2017)
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