Comby v. State

901 So. 2d 1282, 2004 WL 2857581
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedDecember 14, 2004
Docket2003-KA-01075-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 901 So. 2d 1282 (Comby v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Comby v. State, 901 So. 2d 1282, 2004 WL 2857581 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

901 So.2d 1282 (2004)

Samuel C. COMBY, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2003-KA-01075-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

December 14, 2004.
Rehearing Denied March 1, 2005.
Certiorari Denied May 19, 2005.

*1284 Kathryn N. Nester, Jackson, Shawna Anne Murrell, Columbia, SC, attorneys for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Deirdre McCrory, attorney for appellee.

Before LEE, P.J., IRVING and GRIFFIS, JJ.

LEE, P.J., for the Court.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 1. On his way home from working the night shift on September 3, 2002, Samuel Comby bought a six pack of beer. Comby drank the beer and ate breakfast as he worked around his house that morning. Shortly after noon, Comby offered to give a friend a ride across the Choctaw reservation, about a forty minute drive. After Comby dropped his friend off, he stopped by another friend's house who gave him several warm beers to take home. Comby then stopped by a convenience store and bought ice to cool off the beer. On his return home, Comby was south-bound on Conahatta-Prospect Road, when he crossed the double yellow lines, striking Patsy Butler, a motorist traveling north. Butler was pronounced dead on the scene. Comby was taken via ambulance to Alliance Laird Hospital, where he consented to a blood test. Comby's blood alcohol level registered at 0.19. A few days later Comby was arrested for DUI manslaughter.

¶ 2. Comby was convicted of DUI manslaughter, and it is from this conviction that Comby now appeals, claiming the following five points of error: (1) the trial court erred in allowing evidence of Comby's blood alcohol content and evidence obtained from his medical records; (2) the trial court erred in allowing into evidence items located in Comby's vehicle at the time of the accident; (3) the trial court erred in allowing Grady Downey to offer expert testimony in the field of toxicology when no notice was provided that he would provide such testimony; (4) the trial court erred in refusing Comby's requested jury instructions; and (5) the trial court erred in denying Comby's motion to dismiss based upon his arrest on the Choctaw reservation. Finding that these arguments *1285 lack merit, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

DISCUSSION OF ISSUES

I. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ALLOWING EVIDENCE OF COMBY'S BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT AND EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM MEDICAL RECORDS THAT WERE ILLEGALLY OBTAINED?

(a) Seizure of the medical records

¶ 3. Comby argues that his medical records were illegally seized and "all records/testimony obtained as a result of the illegal seizure should have been suppressed as fruit of the poisonous tree." Although the district attorney's office acted improperly in obtaining Comby's medical records, Comby has failed to outline for this Court specifically what evidence should have been suppressed. The appellant, Comby, bears the burden of showing some reversible error by the trial court. The failure to do so constitutes a waiver. King v. State, 857 So.2d 702, 726(¶ 77) (Miss.2003) (citing Branch v. State, 347 So.2d 957, 958 (Miss.1977)). This issue is procedurally barred from our consideration.

(b) Comby's Consent

¶ 4. Comby argues that the trial court erred in allowing evidence of his blood alcohol content. Comby argues that he did not voluntarily consent to have a blood sample taken, and the sample should have been suppressed.

¶ 5. In McDuff v. State, 763 So.2d 850, 855 (Miss.2000), the supreme court held that taking a blood sample had to be based on probable cause, a warrant or consent. In the case sub judice, Comby signed a consent form to have his blood drawn and tested for law enforcement purposes. To determine whether Comby's consent was valid, the trial court, outside the presence of the jury, heard testimony from the nurses who were present when Comby signed the consent form, the deputy who obtained Comby's consent, and Comby himself. The trial court determined that Comby voluntarily consented to having his blood drawn. Voluntary consent is an issue which is committed to the broad discretion of the trial court. Forrest v. State, 863 So.2d 1056, 1061(¶ 12) (Miss.Ct.App.2004) (citing Logan v. State, 773 So.2d 338, 343(¶ 13) (Miss.2000)). Unless that discretion is abused, this Court is obligated to affirm that decision. Id. Given the record presented to this Court, we cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in finding that Comby's consent was voluntary.

¶ 6. Comby also argues that his blood alcohol level of 0.19 calls into question his ability to consent. The Mississippi Supreme Court has held that where the defendant appears to be aware of the circumstances surrounding his consent, the consent is valid despite his purported intoxication. Wash v. State, 790 So.2d 856, 859(¶ 8) (Miss.Ct.App.2001) (citing Mitchell v. State, 609 So.2d 416, 421 (Miss.1992)). Comby was aware that he had collided with Butler. At the scene of the accident Comby inquired about Butler. While being loaded into the ambulance Comby had the presence of mind to tell the officers that his driver's license was in the car in the glove compartment. The emergency medical technician who delivered Comby to the hospital testified that Comby was able to answer all of his questions en route to the hospital. At the hospital Comby signed the consent form. The nurses attending Comby testified that Comby appeared to understand what was going on. The nurses testified that Comby was able to answer their questions, and that they communicated back and forth with him. The deputy who secured Comby's *1286 consent testified that Comby understood what was going on and that he was lucid as he talked with personnel in the room. We cannot say that the trial court erred in finding that Comby's consent was valid despite his intoxication.

II. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ALLOWING INTO EVIDENCE ITEMS LOCATED IN COMBY'S VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS NO WARRANT HAD BEEN ISSUED AND COMBY DID NOT CONSENT TO THE SEARCH?

¶ 7. Comby argues that evidence obtained from his car should have been suppressed because no warrant was obtained to search the vehicle and Comby did not consent to the search. Under the automobile exception police may conduct a warrantless search of an automobile and any containers therein if they have probable cause to believe that it contains contraband or evidence of crime. California v. Acevedo, 500 U.S. 565, 576, 111 S.Ct. 1982, 114 L.Ed.2d 619 (1991); see also Wyoming v. Houghton, 526 U.S. 295, 301, 119 S.Ct. 1297, 143 L.Ed.2d 408 (1999); United States v. Ross, 456 U.S. 798, 809, 102 S.Ct. 2157, 72 L.Ed.2d 572 (1982). Thus, a search of Comby's car must be supported by probable cause even though a warrant was not necessary. A probable cause determination should be based on the totality of the circumstances. Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 238, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983). The evidence in support of probable cause "must be viewed in light of the observations, knowledge, and training of the law enforcement officers involved in the warrantless search." United States v. Muniz-Melchor,

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Bluebook (online)
901 So. 2d 1282, 2004 WL 2857581, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/comby-v-state-missctapp-2004.