B.H. v. State of Alabama.

73 So. 3d 747, 2011 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 27, 2011 WL 1605201
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Alabama
DecidedApril 29, 2011
DocketCR-09-1884
StatusPublished

This text of 73 So. 3d 747 (B.H. v. State of Alabama.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
B.H. v. State of Alabama., 73 So. 3d 747, 2011 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 27, 2011 WL 1605201 (Ala. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

KELLUM, Judge.

Delinquency petitions were filed in the Juvenile Court of Jefferson County, charging the appellant, B.H., a 16-year-old male, with 6 counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, violations of § 13A-8-11, Ala.Code 1975, and 2 counts of first-degree theft of property, violations of § 13A-8-3, Ala.Code 1975. The juvenile court found four of the six charges of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle to be true, both charges of first-degree theft to be true, and adjudicated B.H. delinquent. The juvenile court issued a written order remanding B.H. to the custody of the Alabama Department of Youth Services. This appeal followed.

The evidence presented at trial established the following pertinent facts. On July 19, 2010, Officer Richard Haluska, an officer with the City of Birmingham Police Department (“BPD”), received a dispatch around midnight advising him that five young black males had just been seen getting out of a silver Pontiac Grand Am automobile parked on Haygood Street in Birmingham. Officer Haluska located the Grand Am on Haygood Street, noted that there was no damage to the vehicle, recorded the license-plate number, ran the vehicle-identification number (“VIN”), and learned that the vehicle had not been reported stolen. On the morning of July 20, 2010, Officer Haluska, who was then off duty, saw the silver Grand Am pull up to a four-way stop at the intersection of Red Mill Road and Lawson Road in Birmingham. At that point, the Grand Am had been reported stolen.

As Officer Haluska began to follow the Grand Am in his personal vehicle, a black Ford Fusion automobile cut him off and pulled behind the Grand Am. Officer Ha-luska radioed the police dispatcher, informing dispatch that he was following the Grand Am that he had observed earlier. Officer Haluska also reported the license-plate number of the Ford Fusion directly in front of him. The Ford Fusion had not been reported stolen at the time, but another police unit was searching for the stolen Grand Am when Officer Haluska notified the police dispatcher. Officer Ha-luska testified that he was able to see the driver of the Ford Fusion while the vehicles were stopped at the intersection, and at trial he identified B.H. as the driver of the Ford Fusion. Officer Haluska ex[749]*749plained that he eventually positioned himself between the Ford Fusion and the Grand Am as the three cars drove away. In the process, Officer Haluska pulled aside the Ford Fusion, at which time he had another opportunity to look at the driver and the front-seat passenger. After a short while, the Ford Fusion sped off and Officer Haluska continued to follow the Grand Am. Eventually, a marked police car arrived on the scene, and the Grand Am attempted to flee but wrecked in the process.

While he was assisting the officers in detaining the suspect in the Grand Am, Officer Haluska saw B.H. and three other young black males walking down the street. Officer Haluska recognized B.H. and one of the other males as the driver and the front-seat passenger in the Ford Fusion. Officer Haluska testified that approximately seven minutes had elapsed between his last seeing the Ford Fusion and his observing the young men walk toward the scene of the accident. During that time, Officer Haluska had learned that the Ford Fusion had also been stolen. The officers found the Ford Fusion in the parking lot of a church approximately three quarters of a mile to one mile from the scene of the accident.

BPD Detective Cedric Thomas testified that he took statements from four of the five defendants apprehended in connection with the car thefts and break-ins; only B.H. declined to make a statement. Detective Thomas also took statements from the victims in this case and explained that it was his understanding that no defendant had the permission of any owner to enter the owner’s vehicle. Detective Thomas testified that mainly electronic devices were taken from the vehicles, including global-positioning-system (“GPS”) devices, portable music devices (e.g., an iPod), and laptop computers. Detective Thomas also testified that no forensic examinations, such as fingerprinting or DNA analysis, were conducted in connection with the break-ins.

Nissalke Pulliam testified that she lived on Camilla Road in Birmingham and that her 1999 GMC Suburban KC-10 sport-utility vehicle was broken into on the night of July 19, 2010, or in the early morning of July 20, 2010. Two full bottles of Gatorade sports drink were taken from Pul-liam’s vehicle. After Pulliam telephoned police to report the break-in, she drove around her neighborhood. Pulliam saw a group of young men, four to six in number, walking around the neighborhood. Pul-liam believed that they had just finished playing basketball. Pulliam also testified that she did not know B.H. and had never seen him before trial.

Susan Riggins testified that she lived on Dogwood Lane in Birmingham and that her 1999 Lexus RX-300 sport-utility vehicle was broken into on the night of July 19, 2010. Riggins explained that a DVD player, a Bible, and a Bible cover were all taken from the vehicle. Riggins also testified that she had never seen B.H. before trial and that she did not see him near her vehicle on the night in question.

Clifford Burns testified that he lived on Freda Jane Lane in Birmingham and that his 2000 Pontiac Grand Am was stolen from the driveway of his house on the night of July 19, 2010. Burns did not see who stole the vehicle. Burns also testified that he did not know B.H. and that he had never given B.H. permission to take his vehicle.

Chad Hill testified that he lived on Regal Avenue in Birmingham and that his company vehicle, a black 2010 Ford Fusion, was stolen on the night of July 19, 2010. Hill testified that he did not see who stole his car, that he had never seen [750]*750B.H. before trial, and that he had never given B.H. permission to take his vehicle.

J.H. testified that he was with B.H. on the night of July 19 and 20, 2010, and that he was involved with a number of vehicle break-ins and thefts that evening. J.H. testified that B.H. picked him up from his house in a silver vehicle and explained that he, B.H., and two other boys, C.H. and W.H., were driving around the neighborhood looking for vehicles to “pull on” — i.e., break into — or steal. J.H. explained that they broke into approximately 8 or 9 cars in the Sunrise East neighborhood of the Center Point area of Birmingham, that B.H. was present the entire time, and that B.H. broke into some of the vehicles. J.H. claimed that at times the boys broke up into pairs or individually went and “pulled on” vehicles, but he was aware the others were breaking into other vehicles when they were not present. J.H. testified that he stole only an “mp3 player”1 from one of the vehicles. J.H. admitted that he broke into the Ford Fusion, found the keys, and stole the vehicle.

J.H. testified that he was hanging out with B.H., C.H., and W.H. when D.T. wrecked the Grand Am, the same car J.H. said B.H. was driving when J.H. was picked up earlier in the evening. According to J.H., the four had gone to a store and were hanging out near an abandoned house at the time D.T. wrecked the Grand Am. J.H. testified that he had not been with B.H. immediately before he, B.H., C.H., and W.H. went to the store. J.H. explained that B.H. never drove “the black car” — i.e., the Ford Fusion. J.H. also testified that W.H. told him that the silver Pontiac Grand Am was stolen and that B.H. was present for this conversation.

C.H., one of the boys involved in the break-ins and thefts, also testified at trial. C.H.

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Bluebook (online)
73 So. 3d 747, 2011 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 27, 2011 WL 1605201, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bh-v-state-of-alabama-alacrimapp-2011.