Hazelwood v. State

1975 OK CR 136, 538 P.2d 1072
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJuly 14, 1975
DocketF-74-389
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 1975 OK CR 136 (Hazelwood 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
Hazelwood v. State, 1975 OK CR 136, 538 P.2d 1072 (Okla. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

OPINION

BUSSEY, Judge:

Appellant, Alvin Lee Hazelwood, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court, Oklahoma County, Case No. CRF-73-2956, for the offense of Robbery with Firearms, in violation of 21 O.S.1971 § 791. His punishment was fixed at a term of thirty-eight (38) years’ imprisonment, and from said judgment and sentence a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

At the trial, Thomas W. Wilson testified that he was working at Wilson’s Pharmacy, 2820 Parklawn, Midwest City, on October 8, 1973. At approximately 10:45 p.m. he was robbed at gunpoint of his money and narcotics by a Caucasian male. The robber tied the witness and left, according to an unknown customer, in a blue and white automobile. Witness Wilson testified he had previously picked the defendant out of a group of pictures shown to him by the police.

On cross-examination, Mr. Wilson elaborated upon why he thought the defendánt to be the robber, testifying as follows:

“A. . . . He ■ has several distinguishing, not totally unique characteristics.
“For one, for the general build and everything, but, his skin texture for one thing.
“For instance, myself, when I shave, an hour later it looks like I need to shave again, but he has the kind of skin texture, beard-combination, he has a heavy beard as you can see, he has grown one, but, he looked cleanly shaven at 11:00 o’clock at night, he looked like he had just shaved.
“The next — whenever it was, five to seven days later, you said, in the lineup, at 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon he looked cleanly shaven.
“He has a very distinguishing lip, below his nose, around his mouth and lips, and his chin is very distinguishing, and his hands — I got a good look at his hands. “His hands are large, his fingers are short.
“The color of his skin, the color of his hair.
“The manner he talked in. He speaks as an educated man, no accent, very — has a lot of timber to his voice.
“The mind is a very unique instrument. It can be a good camera when it is applied.
“When I — when a guy threatens my life, that motivates me to remember.” [Tr. 15-16]

Officer Myers testified he took six pictures to the pharmacy for Mr. Wilson to view. The defendant’s photograph was the third or fourth one from the top. On cross-examination, he testified that all of the photographed individuals were white, with the same build and size. The pictures were also the same size.

Detective Hill testified that he received information regarding the robbery on October 11th. The witness refused to disclose the informant’s identity. After Mr. Wilson identified the defendant from the picture, Detective Hill managed to locate the defendant. The defendant was asked to go to the police station and he complied. After being questioned for quite some time, the defendant related his alibi to the police. The witness testified they checked *1075 out some of the defendant’s story, then charged him with Robbery with Firearms. Detective Hill testified he talked with the defendant’s wife at a later time.

On cross-examination, the witness testified that the defendant voluntarily went to the police station, and that the defendant did not have a beard or moustache on October 11th or 12th.

Frank Harris, testifying for the defendant, stated that the defendant had a beard on October 8-11.

Mary Ann Hazelwood testified that her husband, the defendant, got home around 8:00 p.m. on October 8th, and remained at home all night.

On cross-examination, the witness testified that her husband left around 10:00 p. m., and returned later.

On redirect examination, Mrs. Hazel-wood testified that her husband had a beard, similar to that which he wore at trial, on October 8th, and that he was driving a gold 1962 Thunderbird.

Alvin Lee Hazelwood, the defendant, testified in his own behalf. He stated that on October 8th he left his wife’s residence around 10:00 p.m. to go to a 7-11 Store and purchase some milk, a six-pack of beer, and two cokes for his children. The grocery store was only a mile from the residence and he was gone a total of fifteen minutes. Subsequently, the defendant learned that the police were looking for him and sent word to them. He testified that he shaved his beard off before he sent word to the police so that he could go there clean-shaven.

On cross-examination, the defendant testified he had been in Oregon for a month and had grown the beard at that time. He stated that he shaved off the beard prior to talking with the police so as not to appear “scroungy.” On re-direct, he testified that he had a scar over his left eye.

In rebuttal the State called Detective Jack Hill, who testified that the defendant’s wife told him that her husband arrived home between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. and left around 10:00 p.m., returning home between 11:30 and 12:00 p.m.

The defendant complains that the trial court erred in overruling his Motion for New Trial and that the verdict is not substantiated by sufficient and competent evidence. Numerous assignments of error are thereunder asserted, the first claiming that the State failed to prove that the victim was in fear during the robbery.

Robbery is defined in 21 O.S.1971, § 791, as follows:

“Robbery is a wrongful taking of personal property in the possession of another, from his person or immediate presence, and against his will, accomplished by means of force or fear.” [Emphasis added]

The defendant argues that although the alleged robber pointed a gun at the victim and demanded the money and narcotics, the assurance by the robber, testified to by the victim, “All of this time he kept saying quickly now, hurry, and don’t worry, I am not going to hurt you,” [Tr. 9], rebutted the presumption of fear that arises when one points a gun in a threatening manner toward another. We do not agree.

In Ross v. State, 31 Okl.Cr. 143, 237 P.469 (1925), we stated:

“ . . .It has been held that, if there is an assault which would furnish a reasonable ground for fear, the robbery is complete. . . . ”

See also Whitehead v. State, Okl.Cr., 526 P.2d 959 (1974). In the first paragraph of the Syllabus in Jones v. State, 84 Okl.Cr. 81, 179 P.2d 484 (1947), we held:

“Where a pistol is pointed in a threatening manner at one who is the owner or custodian of money, who thereupon permits it to be taken, such act is robbery, although the owner or custodian may not state he is in actual fear, since fear is presumed when such act is committed violently and against the will of the person robbed.”

This presumption of fear on behalf of the person robbed when a gun is pointed at *1076

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Related

Carter v. State
1986 OK CR 139 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1986)
Brown v. State
1982 OK CR 127 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1982)
Pisano v. State
1981 OK CR 137 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1981)
Copling v. State
1979 OK CR 98 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1979)
Leppke v. State
1977 OK CR 21 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1977)

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Bluebook (online)
1975 OK CR 136, 538 P.2d 1072, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hazelwood-v-state-oklacrimapp-1975.