Barrett v. State

1978 OK CR 6, 573 P.2d 1221, 1978 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 153
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 25, 1978
DocketNo. F-77-91
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1978 OK CR 6 (Barrett 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
Barrett v. State, 1978 OK CR 6, 573 P.2d 1221, 1978 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 153 (Okla. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

OPINION

BUSSEY, Presiding Judge:

Appellant, Donald Raymond Barrett, hereinafter referred to as the defendant, was charged in the District Court, Tulsa County, Case No. CRF-76-1561, with the offense of Rape in the First Degree, After Former Conviction of a Felony, in violation of 21 O.S.1971, § 1111 and § 1114. The case was tried to the court, and a finding of guilt was made. Defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment. From said judgment and sentence, a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

Lorena Thompson, victim of the offense, was the State’s initial witness. She testified that after a night of heavy drinking, she, her sister, and the defendant, whom the witness did not know, left the 500 Club in the early morning hours of June 10,1976. The witness stated that she was intoxicated, and fell asleep in the car. She remembered being stopped by the police while in the car, and remembered her sister leaving the car, but asserted that she remembered nothing else until she was awakened when defendant slapped her face. The defendant slapped her several more times, demanding that she take off her clothing, or else he would “knock her damn head off.” She observed herself to be in a wooded area, although she did not know where it was. She stated that she removed her clothing out of fear of the defendant. Intercourse then took place against her will, although she manifested no physical resistance. After the act was completed they dressed and the defendant drove to a scenic overlook which the witness recognized to be west of the town of Sand Springs. Another car was at the scenic overlook, whereupon the defendant drove to a second scenic overlook. The defendant again slapped the witness and demanded she remove her clothes. Intercourse then took place. The witness stated that she then told the defendant that she had to urinate, and the defendant let her out of the car. Once outside she ran, stumbling once and skinning her knees. She left her clothing and her purse in the defendant’s car, and she was naked from the waist down. She flagged down a vehicle, and was taken to the Sand Springs Police Station.

The witness further stated that she was using a tampon at the time of the attack, and that she did not remove it prior to intercourse. She further stated that she was examined at Claremore Indian Hospital by a Dr. Johnson. Eight days later she was re-examined by Dr. Johnson for bruises on her face, which she stated were caused by the slaps administered by the defendant.

After the testimony of Ms. Thompson, the defendant was permitted to call two doctors out of time. Dr. Johnson examined the witness on June 10th at the hospital. He stated that he found no evidence of the presence of sperm or inflammation or bruises to the genitalia. He further stated that a tampon was in Ms. Thompson’s vagina, and that it was unusually positioned, being wedged in sideways and about as far back in the vagina as it could go. A string attached to the tampon, which normally remains outside to facilitate removal, was also totally inside the vagina. Dr. Johnson stated that he could not conclusively state that intercourse had or had not taken place, although the positioning of the tampon was compatible with intercourse. The doctor further noted abrasions to her knees, and, eight days later, swelling and discoloration of her cheek.

Dr. White, a pathologist, gave testimony relative to tests he performed on samples taken from the victim and sent to him by Dr. Johnson. These tests revealed a very low presence of acid phosphatase, a substance present in large amounts in seminal [1223]*1223fluid. Dr. White stated that no acid phosphatase would be present, even if intercourse had taken place, if the male did not ejaculate.

Jess Tabler was the State’s second witness. He testified that at approximately 7:15 a. m., June 10th, he picked up Ms. Thompson in the vicinity of the scenic overlook west of Sand Springs, and took her to the Sand Springs Police Station. She was naked from the waist down, and appeared hysterical.

Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff Wisenhunt arrested the defendant for rape. He also stated that the scenic overlook described by Ms. Thompson was in Tulsa County. He further stated that he was shown the place where Ms. Thompson’s purse was found, and that the distance from there to defendant’s home was one-half mile. He further stated that the scenic overlook is about thirty miles from the defendant’s home.

Michael Baumerstar found Ms. Thompson’s purse in a ditch in the town of Skia-took. The witness turned the purse over to the police. Hazel Stillwell, dispatcher with the Skiatook Police Department, received the purse from Baumerstar. The State then rested.

State Trooper Terry Childress was the defendant’s first witness. At about 5:00 a. m. on June 10th he stopped the car in which the defendant was driving, because the car was moving too slowly. Childress identified Ms. Thompson as being one of two women present with the defendant in the car.

Sharon Roberts was called by the defendant, and she testified that she was in the 500 Club in the early morning hours of June 10th, where she observed Ms. Thompson in a fight with another person. She further stated that she thought the defendant left the club at 6:30 a. m., although she was not totally sure of the time.

The defense then rested.

After the court found the defendant guilty, the State introduced evidence that the defendant had been twice convicted of felony offenses. The court then sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment.

The defendant contends in his first assignment of error that venue was improperly laid in Tulsa County, and that the trial court was therefore without jurisdiction to try the case. He bases his argument on the fact that the location of the first act of intercourse was unknown.

Title 22 O.S.1971, § 124 provides:

“When a public offense is committed, partly in one county and partly in another county, or the acts or effects thereof, constituting or requisite to the offense, occur in two or more counties, the jurisdiction is in either county.”

The defendant does not challenge the fact that the second incident occurred in Tulsa County. The victim testified that it took place at a scenic overlook west of Sand Springs, and Deputy Wisenhunt gave testimony indicating that these overlooks were within the boundaries of Tulsa County, although he could not pin-point exactly where the boundary was. This was enough. See, Voran v. State, Okl.Cr., 536 P.2d 1322 (1975). We are of the opinion that, the second act having been shown to have occurred in Tulsa County, and the location of the first act being unknown to all except the defendant, venue was properly laid in Tulsa County under the aforementioned statute.

The defendant also asserts in his first assignment of error that the information was insufficient to confer jurisdiction on the Tulsa County District Court. This is so, he contends, because that element of the corpus delicti of the crime of rape relating to overcoming the victim’s will was shown to have occurred at the first, and geographically unfixed, location of sexual intercourse.

The defendant cites two cases in support of his proposition. In Application of Poston, Okl.Cr., 281 P.2d 776 (1955), this Court held that venue was improperly laid in Tulsa County, where the victim was abducted and beaten by the defendant in Tulsa County, but where the rape did not occur until the car had passed into Wagoner County.

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Related

Childers v. State
1988 OK CR 259 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1988)
Crisp v. State
1983 OK CR 110 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1983)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1978 OK CR 6, 573 P.2d 1221, 1978 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 153, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barrett-v-state-oklacrimapp-1978.