Hall v. State

557 N.E.2d 3, 1990 Ind. App. LEXIS 936, 1990 WL 105078
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 26, 1990
Docket32A02-9002-CR-114
StatusPublished

This text of 557 N.E.2d 3 (Hall 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
Hall v. State, 557 N.E.2d 3, 1990 Ind. App. LEXIS 936, 1990 WL 105078 (Ind. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

RATLIFF, Chief Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Donald E. Hall appeals from a conviction for Dealing in Cocaine or Narcotic Drug 2 , a Class B felony. We affirm.

FACTS

In Spring 1988, the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) asked Arthur Biles and Darryl Ivery, Air Force personnel, if they would be undercover agents to assist the Kokomo Police Department in drug investigations. Biles and Ivery decided to participate.

On May 13, 1988, Biles and Ivery met with an OSI agent and Kokomo police officers to prepare for a controlled buy of cocaine. The police placed a body transmitter on Biles. Biles and Ivery drove to a few areas in Kokomo. At the Shirley Lounge, Hall met Biles and told him he could get him anything he wanted. Biles replied he wanted a “sixteenth” or an “eight ball”. Record at 84. Biles gave him sixty dollars ($60.00) to purchase one-half gram of cocaine. Hall walked to his sister’s car across the street and returned with the cocaine. Biles negotiated to buy two more bags of cocaine for one-hundred ten dollars ($110.00). After the purchase, Hall left in his sister’s white Ford Escort, of which Biles read the license plate number.

Biles and Ivery were compensated for their work in the undercover operation. After they identified Hall in a photograph display, a warrant was issued for Hall’s arrest. An information was filed against Hall for dealing in cocaine. At the October 26, 1989 trial, the court found Hall guilty as charged.

ISSUES

1. Whether the Federal Posse Comita-tus Act 3 was violated, and the trial court erred in allowing the admission of testimony of military personnel.

2. Whether the State failed to present a prima facie case against Hall.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

Issue One

Hall contends Biles’ and Ivery’s involvement in the undercover drug investigation in Kokomo violated the Federal Posse Comitatus Act (Act). This question has not been addressed previously in Indiana. Hall cites cases from other jurisdictions which exclude military testimony if the Act has been violated. Lee v. Florida (1968), 392 U.S. 378, 88 S.Ct. 2096, 20 L.E.2d 1166; Gillars v. United States (D.C.Cir.1950), 182 F.2d 962; People v. Burden (1980), 94 Mich.App. 209, 288 N.W.2d 392. We note Hall relies heavily on Burden. The Michigan Supreme Court reversed Burden in 1981 4 ; therefore, Hall’s reliance on the Michigan Court of Appeals’ reasoning is misplaced.

The State presents cases from jurisdictions which are contrary to Hall’s position. United States v. McArthur (N.D.N.D.1975), 419 F.Supp. 186, aff'd (8th Cir.1976), 541 F.2d 1275, cert. denied (1977), 430 U.S. 970, 97 S.Ct. 1654, 52 L.Ed.2d 362; United States v. Bacon (11th Cir.1988), 851 F.2d 1312; People v. Wells (1985), 175 Cal.App.3d 876, 221 Cal.Rptr.273. We believe *5 the State presents the better interpretation of the Act and the correct application to this situation.

The Act provides:

“Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined not more than $10,000.00 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

18 U.S.C. § 1385. Several foreign courts have examined the historical context of the Act and found the Act prohibits the exercise of military power that is “regulatory, proscriptive, or compulsory in nature.” McArthur, 419 F.Supp. at 194; see United States v. Allred (5th Cir.1989), 867 F.2d 856, 870-71; United States v. Stouder (M.D.Ga.1989), 724 F.Supp. 951, 953; United States v. Yunis (D.D.C.1988), 681 F.Supp. 891, 892; State v. Short (1989), 113 Wash.2d 35, 775 P.2d 458, 459; City of Airway Heights v. Dilley (1986), 45 Wash.App. 87, 724 P.2d 407, 409.

Adopting the standard in McArthur, we do not find that the acts of Biles and Ivery display the unauthorized exercise of military power that is “regulatory, proscriptive, or compulsory” in nature. Biles and Ivery acted as undercover agents to assist the Kokomo police. We do not believe the Legislature intended the Act to prohibit this type of use of military personnel by civil law enforcement authorities. We find Biles’ and Ivery’s participation in the undercover operation did not violate the Act, and therefore, the trial court properly admitted their testimony.

Issue Two

Hall argues the State failed to present evidence that cocaine is a Schedule II substance. 5 The statute reads: “A person who: knowingly or intentionally manufacturers or delivers cocaine or a narcotic drug, pure or adulterated, classified in Schedule I or II; ... commits dealing in cocaine or a narcotic drug, a class B felony[.]” I.C. § 35-48-4-1. Hall contends “classified in Schedule I or II” is. one element of the offense, and the failure to prove this element should result in Hall’s discharge for failure to establish a prima facie case. We disagree with Hall’s argument.

Hall develops his interpretation of I.C. § 35-48-4-1 using different rules of statutory construction to support his argument that “classified in Schedule I or II” is a separate element that must be proven by the State. However, Hall’s presentation is unnecessary, because I.C. § 35-48-4-1 is not ambiguous. The statute specifically states that a person who knowingly delivers cocaine commits dealing in cocaine.

Kim Fazio, a chemist for the Indiana State Police Department, testified the substance in evidence at Hall’s trial was cocaine. I.C. § 35-48-4-1 specifically names cocaine as a substance within its purview. The State was not required to show independently cocaine is a Schedule II substance in order to present a case for dealing in cocaine against Hall.

Quoting Willis v. State (1988), Ind.App., 528 N.E.2d 486

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Related

Lee v. Florida
392 U.S. 378 (Supreme Court, 1968)
Gillars v. United States
182 F.2d 962 (D.C. Circuit, 1950)
United States v. Joe Bacon
851 F.2d 1312 (Eleventh Circuit, 1988)
City of Airway Heights v. Dilley
724 P.2d 407 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1986)
State v. Short
775 P.2d 458 (Washington Supreme Court, 1989)
United States v. Stouder
724 F. Supp. 951 (M.D. Georgia, 1989)
United States v. Yunis
681 F. Supp. 891 (District of Columbia, 1988)
People v. Burden
303 N.W.2d 444 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1981)
People v. Burden
288 N.W.2d 392 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1979)
United States v. McArthur
419 F. Supp. 186 (D. North Dakota, 1976)
People v. Wells
175 Cal. App. 3d 876 (California Court of Appeal, 1985)
Willis v. State
528 N.E.2d 486 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1988)

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Bluebook (online)
557 N.E.2d 3, 1990 Ind. App. LEXIS 936, 1990 WL 105078, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hall-v-state-indctapp-1990.