Brown v. State

1972 OK CR 102, 496 P.2d 395
Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma·Decided April 12, 1972·No. A-16845·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

BUSSEY, Presiding Judge:

Charles Brown, Jr., hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court of Tulsa County, Oklahoma, of Carrying a Firearm, After Former Conviction of a Felony; his punishment was fixed at a term of not less than two (2) years nor more than six (6) years imprisonment, and from said judgment and sentence, a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

At the trial, Officer Cox testified that in the early morning hours of December 13, 1970, he received a report of an alleged robbery and a description of one of the female suspects. He observed a woman fitting the description sitting in the back seat of a cab with two other Negro females. He made a U-turn and stopped behind the parked cab. He proceeded to the front passenger side of the. cab and shined his flashlight into the front seat. He observed the defendant seated on the passenger side with his hand on a partially covered gun lying on the seat. He directed the defendant to get out of the cab. Upon doing so, the officer reached under a pillow and recovered a .38 caliber pistol.

Officer Smith testified that on the morning in question he arrived at the scene shortly after Officer Cox. He observed Officer Cox walk up to the side of the cab, say, “Hold it,” and draw his pistol. The defendant dismounted from the cab whereupon the officer looked into the cab. When Officer Cox turned around, Officer Smith observed a weapon which resembled State’s Exhibit One, sticking in his belt. At the direction of Officer Cox, he took the defendant into custody.

For the defense, Eddie Roeland testified that he was the cab driver on the morning in question. He stated that he picked up the defendant and the three ladies at approximately 4:00 in the morning. A lady passenger directed him to take the party to the 100 block on North Greenwood where a cafe was open. He testified that he did not observe a gun on the defendant’s person when he entered the cab. He kept the blanket and pillow in the front seat of the cab in order to keep warm when he did not have his cab running. He further testified that between the time he last used the blanket and the time the defendant entered the cab, several passengers had been in the cab and sat in the front seat. Upon his arrival, Officer Cox took the blanket, shook it and out of the blanket came the pistol. The gun was not his and he had not seen it previously that morning. The defendant’s testimony did not differ substantially from the account related by the witness Roeland. He denied knowledge of the presence of the gun and denied ownership of the gun.

The sole proposition asserts that “the court erred in allowing the prosecution to go beyond the legitimate bounds of cross-examination of the defendant to the point where the defendant was denied a fair and impartial trial.” The Record reflects the cross-examination of which the defendant complains was as follows:

“Q. You say you were convicted of a felony in 1967?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. What crime?
“A. Larceny of a person.
“Q. In Tulsa County?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Do you remember the date of that conviction ?
“A. February 10, 1967.
“Q. Under the same name you are using at this time?
“A. Yes, sir.
“MR. FRASIER: I will object to that question.
“THE COURT: Overruled.
“MR. FRASIER: Exception.
*397 “Q. And what type of punishment did you receive.
“MR. FRASIER: Now then I will object to this as it is incompetent and irrelevant at this time.
“THE COURT: Overruled.
“MR. FRASIER: Merely going back to the conviction is enough.
“THE COURT: Overruled.
“MR. FRASIER: Exception, move for a mistrial.
“THE COURT: Approach the Bench.
“(Whereupon the following proceedings are had at the bench in hushed tones.)
“THE COURT: I am overruling the motion for the reason that would tend to show a strong motive for trying to avoid punishment. In other words, if he has previously been given probation the chances are he won’t be again and it would be more of a reason to give false testimony and for the purpose of cross examination it is proper for impeachment purposes.
“MR. FRASIER: Okay, and you have already ruled — overruled by motion for a mistrial et cetera?
“THE COURT: Right.
“MR. FRASIER: Okay, exception.
“(Whereupon the following proceedings are had in the hearing and presence of the jury.)
“Q. You may answer, Mr. Brown.
“A. Would you repeat the question, please.
“Q. What type of punishment did you receive ?
“A. Well, I was recommended to the Probation Officer and this happened in March — this happened in January, and when I came back the 10th of February I was sentenced to one year in the Oklahoma State Reformatory.
“Q. Have you been convicted of any other crime punishable by the laws of the United States, this state or any other state ?
“MR. FRASIER: I will object to that question, it is an improper question, your Honor.
“THE COURT: Overruled.
“MR. FRASIER: Exception.
“A. Answer it ?
“Q. Yes.
“A. Well, I have one misdemeanor conviction in this courthouse. I don’t remember the charge.
“Q. Do you remember when that was ?
“A. Yes, but at the time of the conviction I had been sick and in a hospital, in Eastern State Hospital, and in municipal court I have had two traffic violations, careless driving and driving without a license. I had a license but at the time I didn’t have it on me and as soon as I presented my license to the judge he dismissed that.
“MR. FRASIER: I again renew my motion for a mistrial based on the question.
“THE COURT: Overruled.
“MR. FRASIER: Exception.
“Q. Was it your testimony you don’t recall for what crime here in Tulsa County the misdemeanor was for?
“A. No, sir.
“Q. Or when?
“A. It was in November, I do believe.
“Q. Of this year?
“A.

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Brown v. State, 1972 OK CR 102, 496 P.2d 395 (Okla. Ct. App. 1972).

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