Daniels v. State

754 S.W.2d 214, 1988 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 113, 1988 WL 53387
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 1, 1988
Docket767-84
StatusPublished
Cited by261 cases

This text of 754 S.W.2d 214 (Daniels v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Daniels v. State, 754 S.W.2d 214, 1988 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 113, 1988 WL 53387 (Tex. 1988).

Opinions

OPINION ON STATE’S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

ONION, Presiding Judge.

Appellant was found guilty by a jury of the offense of unlawful delivery of marihuana. The trial court assessed the punishment at five years’ imprisonment. The conviction was based on a violation of the Texas Controlled Substances Act, Article 4476-15, § 4.05(a) and (b)(3), V.A.C.S. (as amended in 1981).1

On appeal, inter alia, the appellant contended the trial court erred in overruling his motion to quash the indictment because the term “constructive transfer” was an ambiguous term that did not give notice of the acts charged and violated his right to adequate notice under the federal and state constitutions and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Appellant further contended the trial court committed fundamental error in the charge in allowing the jury to convict on a theory not alleged in the indictment. The Court of Appeals agreed “with both assignments of error” and reversed and remanded with instructions to dismiss the indictment. Daniels v. State, 674 S.W.2d 388 (Tex.App.—Austin 1984). We granted the State’s petition for discretionary review to determine the correctness of the Court of Appeals’ decision. Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 200(c)(2).

Briefly, the record shows that Kimberly Hughes, a member of the Austin Organized Crime Unit, worked as an undercover agent-officer in Burnet County at the time of the alleged offense. In early October [216]*2161982, Hughes met appellant in the parking lot of Cochran’s Grocery Store and later went to his residence in Marble Falls indicating she wanted to buy drugs. Appellant stated he didn’t have any drugs to sell, but according to Hughes, he rolled her a marihuana cigarette and she “simulated” smoking part of it.

On the evening of October 12, 1982, Hughes was with Tim Martinez, James Brooks and James Whited at the Relax Bar I outside Granite Shoals drinking beer. The three men later accompanied Hughes in her car and directed her to appellant’s home which she had previously visited. She testified that marihuana was smoked in the car en route to appellant’s house and she again simulated smoking a joint.

Upon arrival Brooks entered appellant’s house and then returned to the car. Thereafter Hughes related she gave James Whited a $100 bill and he gave her $40 in change. In order to be able to get into the house Hughes insisted she had to use the bathroom, and she accompanied the three men into the house. Upon entering she saw appellant seated on a stool behind the bar and also observed a large white man with blond hair watching television. Hughes proceeded to the bathroom. Upon her return she saw Whited in the kitchen area with a bag of marihuana. He handed the bag to Hughes and asked her if “it looked all right.” She responded “Yes.” Hughes testified that Whited then “handed my $100 bill plus $15 to James Daniels (appellant).”

The group then left the house. The bag of marihuana was apparently split and Hughes received one half which the next day she delivered to Chemist Bob Urbanov-sky of the Austin Police Department, who testified that he analyzed and determined that the substance given him by Hughes was in fact marihuana weighing 10.8 grams or 0.88 ounces.

On cross-examination Hughes admitted she was not present when the marihuana was “delivered.” She did not see where the marihuana came from because the first time she observed the bag of marihuana it was in the possession of Whited.

Hughes and Urbanovsky were the only State’s witnesses. Hughes indicated in her testimony that Whited, Brooks and Martinez all had charges filed against them.

At the close of the State’s case-in-chief appellant’s motion for an instructed verdict of “not guilty” was denied.

Charles Eugene Van Buskirk for the defense testified he was at appellant’s house on the occasion in question, and was watching television when the group entered the house. He stated that appellant was leaving the house at the very time to go get a six pack of beer for which he (Van Buskirk) had given appellant money. Van Buskirk recalled that Hughes, upon entering, went directly to the bathroom and that in her absence Brooks and Whited asked Juanita Armstrong, who was present, about some “pot,” and they bought some marihuana from Armstrong, who placed the money “underneath the bar.” He later observed a purse behind the bar and thought it belonged to Armstrong. It was Van Bus-kirk’s testimony that Hughes was in the bathroom during this transaction, and that after Hughes came out Brooks and Whited showed her the “pot,” that Whited then rolled a marihuana cigarette and “a few of them” were smoking it when the appellant returned with the beer. Appellant asked the group to leave as he had to work the next morning and the group left.

Juanita Armstrong, when called by the defense, testified that she was present at the time in question, and that the appellant was not present when the alleged transaction took place. As to her participation in the transaction, she took the Fifth Amendment and was permitted to do so without objection. On cross-examination she related she was living with appellant at the time, and reiterated that appellant, on the occasion in question, had gone to get beer for Van Buskirk. Clifton Daniels, appellant’s cousin, testified he was present, that appellant left the house as the group entered, and that the “deal” made was with Armstrong.

The pertinent portions of the Texas Controlled Substances Act in effect at the time of the instant offense provided:

[217]*217“Sec. 4.05(a) Except as authorized by this Act, a person commits an offense if he knowingly or intentionally delivers marihuana.
“(b) An offense under Subsection (a) of this section is:
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“(3) a felony of the third degree if the amount of marihuana delivered is four ounces or less but more than one-fourth ounce[.]”
“Sec. 1.02
“(8) ‘Deliver’ or ‘delivery’ means the actual or constructive transfer from one person to another of a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia, whether or not there is an agency relationship. For purposes of this Act, it also includes an offer to sell a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia.”

As can be seen from the definition of “deliver” or “delivery” in said § 1.02(8), three types of “delivery” are contemplated: (1) an actual transfer; (2) a constructive transfer; and (3) an offer to sell. See Queen v. State, 662 S.W.2d 338, 340 (Tex.Cr.App.1983); Ferguson v. State, 622 S.W.2d 846, 848 (Tex.Cr.App.1980); Conaway v. State, 738 S.W.2d 692, 694 (Tex.Cr.App.1987).

The indictment presented in this case charged in pertinent part that on or about October 12, 1982, “... James E. Daniels ... did then and there unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly deliver to Kimberley Hughes by contractive (sic) transfer a quantity of marihuana in excess of one-fourth ounce[.]”

In his amended motion to quash appellant urged three reasons why the indictment in this case is defective.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
754 S.W.2d 214, 1988 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 113, 1988 WL 53387, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/daniels-v-state-texcrimapp-1988.