Brewer v. State

1976 OK CR 183, 554 P.2d 18
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 12, 1976
DocketF-76-15
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 1976 OK CR 183 (Brewer 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
Brewer v. State, 1976 OK CR 183, 554 P.2d 18 (Okla. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

OPINION

BUSSEY, Judge.

Appellant, Lewis Gordon Brewer, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court, Comanche County, Case No. CRF-73-822, for the offense of Concealing and Withholding Stolen Property in violation of 21 O.S.1971, § 1713. His punishment was fixed at a Five Hundred Dollar Fine ($500.00) and from said judgment and sentence a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

At the trial, Tom Bunting testified that he was an agent with the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation assigned to the intelligence division. That on October 15, 1973, he contacted a confidential informant in Lawton, Oklahoma. They proceeded to the Sheraton Inn where he was introduced to the defendant by the confidential informant. They engaged in a dice game in a private club of the motel. The informant asked the defendant “if he still had the stuff for sale.” The defendant replied affirmatively and inquired if Bunting was okay.

They left the private club and proceeded to Route No. 1. The defendant stopped in front of a 1966 Dodge parked in front of the room, unlocked the vehicle and removed two small boxes from the glovebox. They entered the motel room' and the defendant opened the boxes and displayed two diamond rings. Bunting declined to purchase the rings. Informant asked the defendant if he still had “the other things.” Defendant replied “yes they’re where I left them this morning.” The defendant took the keys from his pockets and handed them to the informant. The informant left the room and returned shortly with two rifles wrapped in a sheet. Bunting examined the rifles, a .22 caliber Marlin with scope and a 30 - 30 caliber Marlin with scope. The defendant set the prices at Seventy Five Dollars ($75.00) for the 30 - 30 caliber and Forty Dollars ($40.00) for the .22 caliber. He gave the defendant Forty Dollars ($40.00) and the informant handed the defendant Seventy Five Dollars ($75.00). The defendant took the money and put it in his pocket. He identified the State’s Exhibit No. 1, a Marlin Golden Fifty, as one of the rifles they purchased. He asked the defendant if they were “hot” and the defendant replied affirmatively.

On cross-examination he testified that they ran a check on State’s Exhibit No. 1, to the National Crime Information Center in Washington D.C. The gun was reported stolen by the Anadarko Police on August 9, 1973. He testified that he portrayed himself as a used car dealer from Oklahoma City. He identified the defendant’s Exhibit No. 1, as a .38 caliber pistol, which he purchased from the defendant on the same day. They ran a check on the pistol and had no information that the gun was stolen. He identified defendant’s Exhibit No. 2, as the other rifle purchased from the defendant. A check of that rifle adduced that it had been sent from the Marlin Company to the Tulsa OTASCO Store and subsequently shipped to the Ana-darko OTASCO Store. The manager of that store, however, did not have complete records reflecting actual possession of the weapon.

Ira Hart, managing partner of the Ana-darko OTASCO Store, testified that on *20 August 9, 1973, his store was burglarized. The gun display rack had been broken open and a number of the guns were missing. He identified State’s Exhibit No. 1, as one of those missing. He identified certain Federal Firearm Records which indicated that State’s Exhibit No. 1, had never been sold. He testified that the retail value of State’s Exhibit No. 1 was approximately One Hundred Twenty Five Dollars ($125.00) and defendant’s Exhibit No. 2 would have a retail value of approximately Sixty Dollars ($60.00).

For the Defense, Orba Standridge Jr. testified that he was part-owner of Triple S Shooters Supply. The State, thereupon stipulated as to his qualifications as an expert as to the value of weapons. He testified that the retail value of defendant’s Exhibit No. 2 in 1973 would be approximately Twenty Nine Dollars ($29.00) and the retail value of State’s Exhibit No. 1 would be approximately Four Hundred Nineteen Dollars ($419.00). He testified that each of • the guns appeared to have been fired. Based upon that fact, coupled with a sale between two individuals a price of State’s Exhibit No. 2 would be Fifteen ($15.00) to Twenty ($20.00) Dollars and State’s Exhibit No. 1, Sixty ($60.00) to Eighty ($80.00) Dollars.

The first assignment of error is that the State failed to prove all the elements of the offense of concealing stolen property. The defendant first argues that the evidence was insufficient to establish that the defendant had knowledge that the property was stolen. We disagree, the record reflects that Agent Bunting testified as follows:

“Q. At the time that you purchased State’s Exhibit 1 from Mr. Brewer, was there any discussion at all as to the nature or the source of that gun ? The nature of the gun?
“A. I asked him if they were hot ?
“Q. What did he say ?
“A. ‘Yes.’” [Tr.10]

In Lewis v. State, Okl.Cr., 458 P.2d 309 (1969) we stated:

“. . . we have repeatedly held that any statement made by a defendant which is in the nature of an admission or from which inference of guilt may be drawn, is admissible as direct and original evidence. See Born v. State, Okl. Cr., 397 P.2d 924 (1964) and Jordan v. State, Okl.Cr., 327 P.2d 708 (1958).”

The defendant next contends that the evidence was not sufficient to show that he was in some manner concealing the property from its rightful owner. The record does not support this contention. Agent Bunting testified as follows:

“Q. O.K. What occurred then ?
“A. Then the conversation led to the— the informant asked Mr. Brewer, ‘You still have the other things?’ He said, ‘Yes, they are where I left them this morning,’ and then he removed the keys from his pocket and handed them to him
“Q. Handed them to the informant ?
“A. To the informant. He departed the room and returned with a sheet wrapped around the two rfiles . . . ” [T'r. 7 & 8]

It is thus readily apparent that the defendant had placed the guns somewhere near his motel room and had constructive control over the area through possession of the keys. We further observe that there was no defense testimony which refuted this conclusion. In Hughes v. State, Okl. Cr., 536 P.2d 990 (1975) we stated:

“. . . the defendant’s failure to explain the circumstances surrounding his possession of such a considerable amount of stolen property, although not required to do so by law, is a factor that may properly be considered by the jury. . ."

We therefore find this assignment of error to be without merit.

The second assignment of error is that the prosecutor made improper com *21 ments upon the defendant’s failure to testify. The complained of remarks are as follows:

“MR. LILE: ... Of course, none of that is denied by any of the State’s evidence or any of the Defendant’s evidence.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Hinkle v. Beckham County Board of County
962 F.3d 1204 (Tenth Circuit, 2020)
State v. Ramon
736 P.2d 1059 (Court of Appeals of Utah, 1987)
Bussett v. State
1982 OK CR 79 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1982)
Carter v. State
1979 OK CR 52 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1976 OK CR 183, 554 P.2d 18, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brewer-v-state-oklacrimapp-1976.