Culpepper v. State

662 N.E.2d 670, 1996 Ind. App. LEXIS 337, 1996 WL 123239
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 21, 1996
Docket46A04-9508-CR-326
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 662 N.E.2d 670 (Culpepper v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Culpepper v. State, 662 N.E.2d 670, 1996 Ind. App. LEXIS 337, 1996 WL 123239 (Ind. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

*673 OPINION

RILEY, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Defendant-Appellant Donald Culpepper (Culpepper) appeals following his conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, a Class A felony. 1

We affirm in part and remand for resen-tencing.

ISSUES

Culpepper raises the following issues which we restate as:

1. Whether the trial court erred by denying his request for a competency hearing.
2. Whether the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress evidence.
3. Whether his sentence of 85 years is manifestly unreasonable.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On the morning of October 20, 1994, Michigan City Police Officer Steve Westphal attempted to serve an arrest warrant for drug-related charges on Brentae Aldridge, but Aldridge could not be located. Later that evening, Officer Westphal received information from another arrestee that Aldridge was hiding in a motel on the south side of Michigan City and would be registered under a friend's name. Based on this information, Officer Westphal contacted Officers Chamberlain and Bush and Corporal Kanger and the group began checking the local motels' guest registries. When the police arrived at the Dollar Inn they saw Culpepper's name on the registry for room 206. Knowing that Culpepper and Aldridge were acquaintances, Officers Westphal, Bush and Chamberlain went to room 206 to look for Aldridge. The officers knocked on the door and were allowed into the room by Culpepper. Aldridge was not found in the motel room.

Once inside the room, Officer Westphal noticed two pieces of cellophane wrapping paper with white rocky-type residue on it laying on the desk, along with a plastic cup and a white solid rock wrapped in a piece of the cellophane. Officer Westphal immediately recognized the white rock to be cocaine. Officer Westphal also observed a thick smoke in the room, which he did not recognize as cigarette smoke. Officer Westphal then seized the rock cocaine and escorted Culpep-per into the bathroom and questioned him regarding Aldridge's whereabouts. Ultimately, Culpepper did not provide police with any information regarding Aldridge.

Culpepper was told by the officers to gather his belongings because he was being arrested for possession of cocaine. As Culpep-per was being handcuffed, he turned toward a black bag and coat laying on the bed. Officer Bush then seized the bag and searched its contents. Inside the bag was a plastic bag containing 30 individual pieces of crack cocaine and two knives. A walkie talkie and a beeper were found on Culpepper's person and a crack pipe was found in the motel room.

On October 21, 1994, Culpepper was charged by information with possession of cocaine with intent to deliver as a Class A felony. Prior to trial, he filed a motion to suppress evidence which was denied following a suppression hearing. A jury found Culpepper guilty as charged after a two day trial. He received an enhanced sentence of 35 years. Culpepper now appeals.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

I. Competency Hearing

Culpepper first contends that the trial court erred by failing to grant his request for a competency hearing. On the first morning of trial, Culpepper's counsel made an oral motion for a competency hearing alleging that Culpepper was unable to understand the proceedings and unable to assist in his defense. In support of the motion, Cul-pepper told the court that he wished to fire his attorneys for various reasons and hire new attorneys. The court denied the request for a competency hearing and denied Culpep-per's request to hire his own attorney.

After repeatedly stating to his counsel that he did not want to proceed with them repre *674 senting him, Culpepper decided not to participate in his trial and refused to come to the courtroom after the morning recess.. Counsel pleaded with the court that although they did not wish to become a party to Culpep-per's attempts to manipulate the process, they felt that it was impossible to render effective assistance of counsel under the circumstances. After lengthy discussion on the record with counsel, Culpepper and Culpep-per's father, the court decided to proceed with the trial without Culpepper.

If a court has "reasonable grounds" for believing that the defendant lacks the ability to understand the proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defense, the court then must immediately stop the proceedings and hold a competency hearing. Collins v. State, 643 N.E.2d 375, 379 (Ind.Ct.App.1994), trans. denied. Whether such reasonable grounds exist is a determination to be made by the trial court and will be reviewed only for an abuse of discretion. Id. (citing Brown v. State, 516 N.E.2d 29 (Ind.1987)). The right to a competency hearing is not absolute and a trial judge's observations of a defendant in court are an adequate basis for determining whether a competency hearing is necessary. Id.

The trial and conviction of one without adequate competence is a denial of federal due process and a denial of a state statutory right as well. Brewer v. State, 646 N.E.2d 1382, 1384 (Ind.1995) (citing Pate v. Robinson, 383 U.S. 375, 86 S.Ct. 836, 15 LEd.2d 815 (1966), Tinsley v. State, 260 Ind. 577, 298 N.E.2d 429 (1973); I.C. 35-86-3-1 (1993 2 ). A hearing to determine whether the accused is competent to stand trial is required where the trial court is confronted with evidence that creates a reasonable or bona fide doubt as to the competence of the accused. Brewer, 646 N.E.2d at 1382. The standard for deciding such competency is whether or not the defendant currently possesses the ability to consult rationally with counsel and factually comprehend the proceedings against him or her. Id. (citing Mato v. State, 429 N.E.2d 945, 946 (Ind.1982)). This test has been stated as requiring that the defendant have sufficient present ability to consult counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and to have a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings brought against him or her. Brewer, 646 N.E.2d at 1384 (citing Evans v. State, 261 Ind. 148, 157, 300 N.E.2d 882, 887 (1973)). A trial court's determination to grant or deny a competency hearing will not be lightly disturbed. We will reverse only for an abuse of discretion. Anthony v. State, 540 N.E.2d 602, 606 (Ind.1989), reh'g denied.

From the record before us, we see that Culpepper requested a speedy trial, the trial court called a jury and cleared its calendar all in an effort to accommodate the defendant, and then Culpepper decided that he didn't like his attorneys and somehow wanted to hire his own attorneys.

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Bluebook (online)
662 N.E.2d 670, 1996 Ind. App. LEXIS 337, 1996 WL 123239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/culpepper-v-state-indctapp-1996.