Avants v. State

1975 OK CR 214, 544 P.2d 539, 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 478
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 4, 1975
DocketF-75-334
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 1975 OK CR 214 (Avants v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Avants v. State, 1975 OK CR 214, 544 P.2d 539, 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 478 (Okla. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

OPINION

BLISS, Judge:

Appellant, Joe Charles Avants, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court, Tulsa County, Case No. CRF-74-1099, for the offense of Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, Second Offense, in violation of 63 O.S.1971, § 2-402, ¶[ B2. His punishment was fixed at a term of five (5) years’ imprisonment and from said judgment and sentence, defendant now perfects an appeal to this Court.

Prior to the commencement of trial in open court, the defendant, in the presence of his attorney, waived the right to have his trial in a two stage proceeding and thereafter proceeded to have the trial conducted in one stage.

The State’s first witness at trial was Jack Sheri who testified he was a police officer in the Patrol Division of the Tulsa Police Department and that he was so employed on the 14th day of May, 1974, at which time he.had occasion to be in the vicinity of Baker’s Restaurant located at 229 West 11th Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He testified that while patrolling said area and while travelling eastward on 11th Street at approximately 3:55 a. m., he observed a man staggering alongside a black over yellow 1966 Continental which was parked in *541 the west parking lot of the restaurant. He further stated that he observed the man stagger to the trunk region of the car at which time the witness pulled his patrol unit into the parking lot. He made inquiry of the man asking him if he was all right and he at that time observed the man to have a strong odor of alcoholic beverage about his person. He identified in court the defendant as the man he had approached on the 14th of May. He further testified that he requested the defendant’s identification and that the defendant responded “If you want my identification, it’s in my front pocket. Get it.” (Tr. 15) He further stated that he pulled the defendant’s sport coat open, reached inside the inside pocket and removed a small capsule and some cigarette papers. The substance inside the capsule appeared to him to be marihuana and he thus placed the defendant under arrest for possession of marihuana. He then summoned other officers for assistance and thereafter the defendant was transported to the police station. While being taken to the police station the defendant was questioned as to prior convictions and he responded that he had, in fact, been sent to the penitentiary. Upon being shown State’s Exhibit No. 1, a capsule, he identified same as the capsule which had been taken from the defendant on May 14 and he observed the initials he had placed on the capsule that evening. Upon being shown State’s Exhibit No. 2, cigarette papers, he testified that the same were the cigarette papers which had been taken from the defendant on that same evening. Lastly, he testified that after taking the items from the defendant he took those items to the property closet and received a receipt, numbered F-5662, for them.

Ken Williamson testified that he was a forensic chemist for the Tulsa Police Department and upon being shown State’s Exhibit No. 1 he testified that he picked up that exhibit under property number F-5662 and thereafter performed laboratory tests on the substance contained in the capsule. He stated that after performing a microscopic examination and a modified Duquenois Levine test he believed the substance to be marihuana.

At this time the parties by agreement introduced State’s Exhibit Nos. 3 and 4, which were judgments and sentences upon pleas of guilty in case No. CRF-71-1850 for the offense of unlawful delivery of controlled drug and in case No. CRF-71-1866 for the offense of unlawful delivery of controlled drug, respectively. The parties stipulated that if the District Court Clerk of Tulsa County were called to testify he would testify that State’s Exhibit Nos. 3 and 4 were true and correct copies showing that Joe Charles Avants was convicted in said cases in the District Court, Tulsa County, for said felonies, and that the defendant in court was the defendant in said felony convictions. The stipulation was also made that the defendant was represented by counsel in said convictions and that said convictions were final.

The defendant took the stand to testify in his own behalf and stated that he lived in Tulsa and was employed at the Candle-wood Club as executive chef. He admitted prior convictions including armed robbery, 1950; possession of marihuana, 1961; possession of firearms, after former conviction of a felony, 1965; and, delivery of controlled drugs, 1971. He testified that after getting off work on May 14, 1974, he went to have a beer with some friends at the Gay Nineties Restaurant which is across the street from Baker’s Restaurant. He stated after having one beer he took some friends to a bar and thereafter returned them to 11th Street and Denver and then proceeded home. He testified that he had nothing else to drink that ' night. While at home that evening, he received a call from Jerry McMillan who told him that something had been left in the back seat of his car and requested that he bring this to Baker’s Restaurant. He decided to go to Baker’s and thereafter have breakfast with Beatrice Meadows, the manager of the motel across the street from Baker’s *542 Restaurant. Upon arriving at Baker’s he got out of his car and an officer in a patrol unit drove up at a fast rate of speed. He stated he was walking around the car while reaching in his back pocket to get a comb when the officer jumped out of the patrol unit and stated “Stand right there. Stand there or you’re almost a dead man.” The officer then asked for his driver’s license and he told the officer it was in his front pocket. The officer searched his coat and found the capsule which the defendant had found in the back seat of his car. The officer then arrested him. He testified that at no time was he staggering, and upon being shown State’s Exhibit No. 1 he testified that it did not appear to be the capsule which he had had in his pocket on that evening. He further denied having the odor of alcohol about his person or having the cigarette papers which were admitted into evidence as State’s Exhibit No. 2.

Defendant’s first assignment of error asserts the trial court erred in allowing the trial to proceed in a one stage proceeding thereby placing the defendant’s character and reputation in issue from the onset. In support of this contention the defendant cites Lovell v. State, Okl.Cr., 455 P.2d 735; Harris v. State, Okl.Cr., 369 P.2d 187; and, Avants v. State, Okl.Cr., 432 P.2d 932.

We note the record affirmatively reflects that prior to commencement to trial and in open court the defendant, in the presence of his attorney and the court, waived his right to have trial in two stages. 1

We further note this Court’s language in Jones v. State, Okl.Cr., 527 P.2d 169 (1974), wherein is stated:

“. . . This Court has previously held that it is within the trial court’s discretion to allow defendant to waive bifurcated proceedings and try in one stage an offense charged after former convictions of a felony. Wilmeth v. State, Okl.Cr., 520 P.2d 699 (1974). We note that defense counsel has submitted the case of Carney v. State,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1975 OK CR 214, 544 P.2d 539, 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 478, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/avants-v-state-oklacrimapp-1975.