Dardy v. State

347 So. 2d 584, 1977 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 1394
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Alabama
DecidedJune 28, 1977
Docket5 Div. 389
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 347 So. 2d 584 (Dardy v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dardy v. State, 347 So. 2d 584, 1977 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 1394 (Ala. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

TYSON, Presiding Judge.

The appellant was indicted for the second degree burglary of Railroad’s Oyster Bar by taking some Miller’s Light beer therefrom. The jury found the appellant guilty of burglary, as charged, and the trial court entered judgment which set sentence at ten years imprisonment in the penitentiary.

Edward Burns testified that he owned and operated Railroad’s Oyster Bar, located on Second Avenue in Opelika, Alabama, on June 18-19, 1976. Burns testified that he locked his place of business between 10:00 and 11:00 p. m. and returned about 7:00 a. m. the next day. He testified that he found a plate glass window broken in the front of the store, and that two cases of Miller’s Light beer were missing. He testified that he had five cases upon closing the store, and only three were there when he opened it the next morning.

On cross-examination he testified that he had a number of cases of beer on inventory, but only five cases of Miller’s Light beer, and that none of this had been placed in the cooler. He also stated that the window appeared to have been broken from the outside of the building as the glass was scattered over the interior. Several photographs were then identified, showing the window and interior, and were admitted in evidence.

George Dozier Norton stated that he worked at Railroad’s Oyster Bar in Opelika on June 18-19, 1976. He testified that he locked the place of business shortly before midnight, that he had five cases of Miller’s Light beer in cans stored in one of the rooms near a window, and that these had not been placed in the cooler. He arrived at work around 9:30 the following morning and found only three cases of Miller’s Light beer. He testified that a plate glass window had been broken.

Roy Berry testified that he was a lieutenant with the Opelika Police Department in June, 1976. He testified that he observed the appellant, Charlie Frank Dardy, about ten minutes until 6:00 a. m. on June 19, 1976, standing alongside the building in which the Railroad’s Oyster Bar was located on Second Avenue in Opelika. Lt. Barry testified that the appellant had on black pants and a multi-colored shirt, that it was daylight at this time of the year. He testified that he recognized the appellant as he knew him. Lt. Barry further testified that later that morning he was advised of a breaking and entering of the Oyster Bar, and that he drove to a residence on Hooper Street and saw the appellant and one James Frank Taylor, another black male, seated on top of an abandoned Chevrolet car, that a Miller’s Light beer can was also on top of the car. He stopped to ask the men where they got the beer and observed two six-[586]*586packs of Miller’s Light beer on the floorboard of the abandoned car. He stated this was about 7:30 a. m.

Lt. Berry further testified that Lt. Ab-bett drove over and they looked about the abandoned car for additional beer. He testified that he gave the appellant a Miranda card warning and advised him that he was under arrest for burglary.

Frank James Taylor testified that he lived at 1423A on Hooper Street in Opelika on June 19, 1976. He testified that the appellant’s father lived next door, and on the morning in question he was there when a police car drove up. He testified that he had paid the appellant $2.00 for one six-pack of Miller’s Light beer. He testified that the beer was warm. He further testified that the appellant’s stepfather, Charlie Jackson, was his next door neighbor and that they had been by the home of one Andrew Trimble early that morning and had some drinks. He testified that he was “pretty high” when Lt. Berry drove up on the morning of June 19, 1976.

Lt. Nick Abbett of the Opelika City Police testified that he investigated a burglary of the Railroad’s Oyster Bar in Opelika on the morning of June 19, 1976. He observed a large plate window which was broken from the exterior of the building and the glass was scattered on the inside, but practically no glass was on the exterior of the building. He- testified that he was there when photographs were made and that he took samples of the glass and placed them in a brown manila envelope, which he marked for identification and took the samples to the State Department of Toxicology at Auburn. He was also present when Lt. Berry brought the appellant, Charlie Frank Dardy, to Police Headquarters, and that he observed the Miller’s Light beer that had been taken from inside the abandoned Chevrolet. The beer, which was hot, was taken to Police Headquarters and the appellant was charged with second degree burglary. He testified the appellant was wearing black pants and a long sleeved shirt, that the sleeves had been rolled up. He testified that the pants and shirt were marked and placed in a brown bag, then subsequently delivered by him to the State Department of Toxicology. He stated that the beer which was seized consisted of two six-packs of Miller’s Light beer.

Tellus D. Hudson stated that he was a Criminalist with the State Department of Toxicology in Auburn on June 21,1976. He testified that he received two bags containing a pair of pants and a shirt, a pair of shoes, and one containing some broken glass and paint samples. These items were then identified by Mr. Hudson. He testified that he found three chips of paint and three small pieces of broken glass which were rolled up in the shirt sleeve of the shirt.

Mr. Hudson stated that there were three layers of paint, one a dark blue, a middle layer of red, and a top layer of white enamel, which were on the pieces of broken glass brought to him by Lt. Abbett. He also found pieces of glass on the shirt, and tests made determined that the paint samples had come from a common source.

Mr. Hudson also testified that he tested the glass for its color, density, and refracted index (the bending of light rays) and found from these tests that the samples of glass and those found on the shirt belonging to the appellant had come from the same source. He then gave his opinion that the glass particles found on the shirt had come from the same store window as the broken glass brought in by Lt. Abbett.

The appellant made a motion for a directed verdict which was duly overruled.

The appellant offered the testimony of his mother, Mary Dardy, who testified that her son lived with her on June 18-19, 1976, at her home at 542 East Hardaway Street in Opelika. She testified that she heard her son come in about 4:00 that morning and that he left again about 5:30 or 6:00, and that he was accompanied by one Jessie Ellis. On cross-examination she testified that often times her son went to see his stepfather, but that she was separated from Charlie Jackson.

Charlie Jackson, the appellant’s stepfather, stated that he lived at 1423B Hooper [587]*587Avenue in Opelika on June 19, 1976. He stated that he and his wife were separated, and that his stepson, Charlie Frank Dardy, lived with his mother. Jackson related that he was at the home of his friend, Andy Trimble, between 6:30 and 7:00 that morning, which was about one-half block from his home. He stated that Jay Walton and Frank James Taylor were also there. He said that the men had been sitting around drinking for thirty minutes to one hour when his stepson, Charlie, got there. He said that Charlie was there ten or fifteen minutes and then left, and that Frank Taylor left with him. He said that Frank Taylor had been drinking wine, and that he, himself, had a pint of Gilby’s Gin. He further stated he saw his stepson when the police arrested him.

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

Related

Little v. State
357 So. 2d 379 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1978)
Cummings v. State
356 So. 2d 779 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1978)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
347 So. 2d 584, 1977 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 1394, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dardy-v-state-alacrimapp-1977.