Bearden v. State

662 So. 2d 620, 1995 WL 582289
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 5, 1995
Docket92-KA-00215-SCT
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 662 So. 2d 620 (Bearden v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bearden v. State, 662 So. 2d 620, 1995 WL 582289 (Mich. 1995).

Opinion

662 So.2d 620 (1995)

Richard D. BEARDEN
v.
STATE of Mississippi.

No. 92-KA-00215-SCT.

Supreme Court of Mississippi.

October 5, 1995.

*621 V.W. Carmody, Stanfield Carmody & Clark, Jackson, for appellant.

Michael C. Moore, Attorney General, Deirdre McCrory, Special Ass't Attorney General, Jackson, for appellee.

Before HAWKINS, C.J., and SULLIVAN and SMITH, JJ.

HAWKINS, Chief Justice, for the Court:

Bearden was convicted May 7, 1991, in the Justice Court of Sunflower County of the crime of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor. He appealed this conviction to the circuit court of Sunflower County, and was again convicted in a non-jury trial before a circuit judge February 10, 1995, and fined $500. We affirm.

FACTS

In the early morning hours of April 7, 1991, Bearden was involved in a two-car accident on Highway 49 near Inverness in Sunflower County. The first person to arrive at the scene of the accident was emergency medical technician David Beacham. At the trial, Beacham testified that:

I observed Mr. Bearden sitting there — he was sitting in his car in the driver's seat. Uh — he had a large abrasion I believe it was on his forehead. And I did my assessment of him, and I determined that he had no threat to his life at that time... . I escorted Mr. Bearden to the ambulance. He ambulated on his own. Once I got him in the ambulance, I did a complete secondary survey, and when I put him in the ambulance, I could detect there was a strong odor of alcohol in the ambulance.

As to Bearden's appearance, Beacham stated that, "Well, he was in quite a bit of pain. His eyes were red; his speech was slurred; but to say that he was intoxicated, I can't say that. I can say there was the presence of alcohol smell itself." Bearden was taken by ambulance to South Sunflower County Hospital.

*622 Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper Tim Pyles arrived at the scene after Bearden had left and interviewed Ruth Pittman, the driver of the other car involved in the accident. Pyles also examined Bearden's car and found it to smell strongly of alcohol. He later concluded that Pittman was driving her car south on Highway 49 when the north-bound Bearden crossed over into her lane and collided with her just across the center line.

After concluding his examination of the accident site, Pyles went to the hospital to talk to Bearden:

I asked Mr. Bearden if there was anybody else in the car. He told me no. There was a strong smell of alcoholic beverage coming from Mr. Bearden. His eyes were red and runny, dilating; speech was very slurred. I asked Mr. Bearden if he would consent to having blood taken to do a blood alcohol test, and he answered, no, I will not.

Later, Bearden changed his mind and agreed to have some blood drawn for a blood alcohol test. After he signed a consent form so stating, a lab technician took the sample using a blood alcohol test kit. Pyles took Bearden's blood, sealed it in the test kit, and kept it in his possession until he mailed it to the State Crime Lab in Jackson. Soon after the blood sample was taken, Pyles issued Bearden a citation for driving under the influence of alcohol. Pyles specifically testified that Bearden committed this offense in Sunflower County, Mississippi, and that he based his belief that Bearden was intoxicated on Bearden's slurred speech and the strong smell of alcohol.

There was some dispute at the trial as to whether Pyles made an actual arrest. On direct examination Pyles stated that he arrested Bearden. However, this testimony contradicts statements given by Pyles under questioning by Judge Evans:

Q. Officer, at what point did you inform Mr. Bearden that you were charging him or put him under arrest? Just tell me what you went through.
A. After I followed [sic] the accident report, which is a uniform accident report, in talking to Mr. Bearden, I asked him if he would consent to giving blood, and he said, no, and I said, that's fine. I left the room and came back. He said that he would consent to giving blood. After his blood was taken, I told Mr. Bearden that he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. I had already determined that I was going to charge him with driving —
Q. Well, did you actually place him under arrest or just inform him that he was going to be charged?
A. I informed him that he was going to be charged. I had already asked the doctors if they were going to keep him.
Q. Had he told you at that time that he was driving the car?
A. Yes, sir, he had, in questioning about the accident and following the accident report.
Q. And you never placed him under arrest and put him in jail or anything like that; just issued, I assume, this citation?

A. Yes, sir.

The citation issued to Bearden was an uniform driving under the influence traffic ticket. The heading of the ticket reads in part "State of Mississippi County of Sunflower." The location is listed as "Inverness," the district is listed as "2," and the highway/street is listed as "49." The citation asserts "That the aforesaid person [Bearden] did unlawfully and willfully operate a motor vehicle within this state: Under the influence of intoxicating liquor in violation of Section 63-11-30(1)(a); Miss. Code Ann. (1972)." The citation goes on to say, "Further, affiant states that he or she has probable cause to believe, and does believe, the person named above committed the offense herein set forth, contrary to law." Trooper Pyles signed the ticket directly beneath this language in a blank labeled, "AFFIANT/OFFICER'S SIGNATURE." Finally, underneath Pyles's signature the citation states, "SWORN TO BEFORE ME, THIS THE 9 DAY OF April, 1991." Below this is a blank labeled "(NAME AND TITLE)" signed by Elaine *623 Campbell with the word "Clerk" handwritten beneath her signature.

April Frierson, medical lab technician, drew Bearden's blood. At the trial she testified in some detail as to the procedure she followed in getting Bearden's sample and in transferring it to the Highway Patrol. Frierson also stated that on the night that she took his blood sample Bearden was in severe pain and, "had a very bad attitude. Also, there was a smell of alcohol."

Anna Ezell, a supervisor at the Mississippi Crime Laboratory, was certified as an expert at the trial and testified about the techniques used by the Crime Lab to analyze blood samples. According to Ezell, following standard operating procedures, she performed a number of tests on Bearden's blood sample. When asked if this procedure had been approved by the Mississippi Highway Patrol, she spoke the words "It's been approved" before she was interrupted by a defense counsel objection. Ezell also testified about the procedures used to care for the lab's alcohol testing machines:

Q. (By Prosecuting Attorney Jane McWilliams) Ms. Ezell, tell us what procedures have been done on the machinery in the last few months.
A. Uh — this instrument, unlike the breath instruments, which are maintained and checked quarterly, and we check it, I think, every thirty days, but this instrument is actually and physically within the Crime Lab, and the performance is checked every time a sample is run.
Q. Did you check this machine before you ran this sample?
A. Yes, I did.

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Bluebook (online)
662 So. 2d 620, 1995 WL 582289, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bearden-v-state-miss-1995.