Hammons v. State

1973 OK CR 6, 505 P.2d 495
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 10, 1973
DocketNo. A-16161
StatusPublished

This text of 1973 OK CR 6 (Hammons v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hammons v. State, 1973 OK CR 6, 505 P.2d 495 (Okla. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

OPINION

BLISS, Judge:

Appellant was charged, tried by a jury, and convicted in the District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma of the charge of Second Degree Burglary, After Former Conviction of a Felony in Case No. CRF-70-657, and sentenced to a term of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, from which judgment and sentence, a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

On the trial, James R. Dunn, Jr. testified he was the owner of Broadway Texaco at 14th and Broaclway in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma on the date in question, January 30, 1970, and on that date he secured the building at approximately 7:00 p. m. He testified he returned to his building at 8:00 a. m. the following morning and found the padlocked door had been forced open and that among other things, a coin-operated cigarette machine had been removed from the building without his permission.

Joe Berousek testified he was manager of the B & B Vending Company and that his firm owned and had placed the coin-operated cigarette vending machine in question in the Texaco station, and he identified the recovered vending machine at the Oklahoma City Police Department by serial number.

Jesse Lee Harris testified he was married and lived with his wife at 838 Northeast Park Street in Oklahoma City, that he is employed at Western Electric, and is the nephew of the Appellant. Harris testified he lent his car to his uncle, the Appellant, at approximately 6:00 or 7:00 p. m. on January 30, 1970, and that his uncle returned the car approximately three hours later, although Harris was not home at the time. Harris testified that when he returned home at approximately 10:00 p. m. he went out to his car, there was a cigarette machine in the trunk, and after a brief discussion with his uncle and another unnamed person, “We took the machine in the house.” Harris stated he then left his [497]*497house, and when he returned police officers were present; upon questioning, he told officers the cigarette machine was his. Harris related he was then taken into custody and was questioned by a detective the following morning. He testified he told the detective it was his car and he had the machine, and that his uncle was with him when he got the machine. He then stated his uncle did not break into the machine and did not say he took it, but took him to the location where the machine came from, a filling station between 13th and 14th on Broadway.

On cross-examination, in response to a question as to whether or not he denied breaking into the filling station, Harris replied, “No,” and admitted he did break in and get the machine himself. On redirect, Harris stated he was with another individual whose nickname is “No Face,” and he then stated he did not break into the filling station, but that “No Face” did, and he was driving the car. He then testified his uncle had absolutely nothing to do with taking the cigarette machine.

The prosecuting attorney then inquired of the witness Harris as to whether he realized he was not required to incriminate himself before the jury, to which the defendant responded, “No, I didn’t know about it.”

The court then called a recess and the witness Harris was given an opportunity to consult with an attorney concerning his own rights. He stated he did not wish to change any of his previous testimony. He then stated that he did, in fact, loan his automobile to his uncle on the night in question, but when asked as to whether or not there was a cigarette machine in the trunk of the car when it was returned, the witness took the Fifth Amendment. Harris did state at that point that he had told Officer Smith he would testify against the defendant.

Officer Eddie Glen Hoklotubbe testified he was working as a patrol officer on the night in question, and that at approximately 11:30 p. m. he responded to a burglary call at the scene of the crime. The officer testified the service station owner was notified and he advised his business had been burglarized and a cigarette vending machine had been stolen. He testified he then talked with Jesse Harris’s half-brother and Jesse Harris’s wife at the Harris home at approximately 11:30 p. m., and in the course of the conversation with Mrs. Harris the officers were able to observe a vending machine in the Harris living room, and after a certain amount of conversation, Mrs. Harris allowed the officers in to examine the vending machine.

Officer Hoklotubbe testified Mrs. Harris was placed under arrest for concealing stolen property and the machine was transported to the Oklahoma City Police Department. Acting upon the information gained from Mr. Harris’s half-brother and wife, the officers visited three locations, and at the third location found Harris. He also testified Harris’s car was located in the 1000 Block of Northeast 14th Street, and at that time Jesse Harris walked up to the patrol car and was placed under arrest. The officer stated after Harris was advised of his rights, he took the officers to the scene of the crime and showed them the burglarized station. He testified after interrogating Harris a radio pickup order for three individuals, including the Appellant, was issued.

Detective Kenneth E. Smith testified he recalled having a conversation with the Appellant in the latter part of February or the early part of March, 1970. He stated the conversation took place at the Oklahoma City Jail, where Appellant was in custody, at approximately 8:00 a. m., and after being advised of his rights, they discussed the burglary. Appellant admitted that he, along with two other people whose names he did not wish to reveal, had gone to the Texaco station and obtained the vending machine, and further, that he had borrowed his nephew’s automobile. The officer stated Appellant said his nephew came out, they carried the machine inside the Harris house and Harris advised him he had better call an attorney and get it [498]*498straightened out without getting into any trouble, and thereafter, he and his nephew went back to the location of the burglary, which he pointed out. Then, at some later point in time, he was arrested.

The record reflects the defendant rested without calling any witnesses. The record then reflects that the witness Harris requested permission to take the stand again, and was allowed to do so on the motion of the court, and over the objection of the defendant. Once on the stand, the witness Harris stated that he did not wish to re-testify, and was excused.

After the jury returned a verdict of guilt with regard to the first stage of the proceeding, the Appellant asked and received permission to approach the bench, and at that time, made a motion to arrest judgment on the grounds that he was not properly defended. The court inquired of the Appellant as to his reasons for stating he felt the lawyer had not put in enough time on the case, and after the motion made by the Appellant was overruled, the Appellant stated he did not wish to go any further with his lawyer. The Appellant then indicated he intended to hire his own lawyer but the court stated at that point that the defendant would have to continue on through the second stage of the trial, inasmuch as the jury had already determined guilt. At that point, the Appellant offered to stipulate as to his prior conviction. Appellant then made a motion for a new trial on the grounds that he was not properly represented, and the court overruled it.

In addition to the stipulation of the Appellant, the State offered into evidence documentary proof concerning the defendant’s prior conviction for Robbery with Firearms.

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Related

Sevier v. State
1960 OK CR 74 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1960)
Jones v. State
1970 OK CR 51 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1970)
Clark v. State
1938 OK CR 88 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1938)
Flauhaut v. State
1939 OK CR 80 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1939)
Gile v. State
1970 OK CR 114 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1973 OK CR 6, 505 P.2d 495, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hammons-v-state-oklacrimapp-1973.