Hendricks v. State

360 So. 2d 1119
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedJuly 18, 1978
Docket77-1475
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 360 So. 2d 1119 (Hendricks v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hendricks v. State, 360 So. 2d 1119 (Fla. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

360 So.2d 1119 (1978)

Thomas HENDRICKS, Appellants,
v.
The STATE of Florida, Appellee.

No. 77-1475.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.

July 18, 1978.

*1120 Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender and Elliot H. Scherker, Asst. Public Defender, for appellants.

Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen. and Steven R. Jacob, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

Before BARKDULL and NATHAN, JJ., and CHARLES CARROLL (Ret.), Associate Judge.

BARKDULL, Judge.

Thomas Hendricks appeals a final judgment of conviction and sentence, entered upon a jury verdict finding him guilty of involuntary sexual battery with force not likely to cause physical injury, false imprisonment, unlawful possession of a firearm while engaged in a criminal offense, and carrying a concealed weapon.

Hendricks, a paraplegic, met Cantor (the victim) in the lounge where she is a nude dancer. At her request, he arranged to drive her home, as she usually drove home with customers. On the drive to her house, Hendricks made a wrong turn and drove to a deserted area. According to Cantor, Hendricks shocked her with a Taser gun,[1] handcuffed *1121 her hands and feet[2] and, without her consent, forced her to perform oral sex upon him. According to Hendricks, the various acts took place, but not only was it with Cantor's consent but it was upon an agreed price of eighty dollars.

Cantor and Hendricks were on the ground outside the automobile when two officers with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Commission drove past. Cantor was nude and Hendricks was nude from the waist down. The two officers approached the car, when they observed it contained no occupants and, after asking for identification, Cantor said: "Officer, help, officer" to the officer requesting identification. One officer removed Cantor to the police car, and the other officer held Hendricks at bay with a shotgun after ordering him to "freeze". One officer obtained the keys from Hendricks and his fellow officer in an effort to obtain the keys to unlock the handcuffs binding Cantor's hands and legs.[3]

After Cantor was uncuffed, she informed Officer Zell that Hendricks had a gun and a knife in the car.[4] In conducting searches *1122 for these weapons, the officer seized two firearms and a knife from Hendricks' automobile. Subsequent discussion with Hendricks produced a third firearm. The car was subsequently towed to the processing garage of the Dade County Public Safety Department, where it was thoroughly searched, resulting in discovery of certain other weapons.

All of the aforementioned searches were conducted without a warrant. Hendricks' motion to suppress the evidence produced by these searches and seizures was denied. The cause was tried by a jury, which found Hendricks guilty of involuntary sexual battery with force not likely to cause serious personal injury; false imprisonment; unlawful possession of a firearm while engaged in a criminal offense; and carrying a concealed firearm. Prior to sentencing, Hendricks moved to be certified for examination and hearing, pursuant to Section 917.14, Florida Statutes (1975), to determine whether he is a mentally disordered sex offender as defined by Section 917.13, Florida Statutes (1975). The trial court denied the motion and stated: "There will be an appointment of Dr. Boozer for this purpose, and also for the purpose of conferring with the officer conducting the presentence investigation." Thereupon, the trial judge entered his order appointing Dr. Boozer to conduct an examination of Hendricks and to give her opinion, among others, as to "* * * Whether the Defendant, Thomas Hendricks, is a mentally disordered sex offender within the meaning of Section 917.14 of the Florida Statutes and was at the time of the alleged offense; * * *".

At time of sentence, the trial judge (notwithstanding Dr. Boozer's evaluation of Hendricks, to wit: "* * * He qualifies, under present Fla. Statutes, as a mentally disordered sex offender as per Chapter 917") sentenced Hendricks as follows: As to count one fifteen (15) years in the state penitentiary; As to count two five years in the state penitentiary to begin at the expiration of sentence imposed in count one; As to count four, five years in the state penitentiary to run concurrent with the sentence imposed in count one; As to count three imposition of the sentence was withheld and Hendricks was placed on five years' probation to begin at the expiration of the sentences imposed in counts one and two. A condition of that probation was successful completion of Dr. Boozer's program as a mentally disordered sex offender.

Hendricks has raised five points on appeal, which we shall discuss in the order presented.

As to point one, he contends the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress the physical evidence seized, where the evidence was the product of an unreasonable warrantless search. We find this point to be without merit. Under the facts of this case, the officers had probable cause to believe evidence of the crime was concealed in the automobile and, therefore, the warrantless search was not unconstitutional. Olsen v. State, 338 So.2d 225 (Fla.3d DCA 1976); Carroll v. United States, 267 U.S. 132, 45 S.Ct. 280, 69 L.Ed. 543 (1925); Chambers v. Maroney, 399 U.S. 42, 90 S.Ct. 1975, 26 L.Ed.2d 419 (1970).

As to point two, Hendricks contends the trial court erred in restricting his cross-examination of the victim. The cross-examination restricted by the trial court *1123 sought to inquire into reluctance on the part of the victim to testify at the trial of this cause, which Hendricks contends was properly admissible as relating to the credibility of the witness, relying on Ward v. Ochoa, 284 So.2d 385 (Fla. 1973); Kallas v. State, 284 So.2d 421 (Fla.3d DCA 1973); McDuffie v. State, 341 So.2d 840 (Fla.2d DCA 1977). We must reject this contention under the facts of the instant case. In the authorities relied upon there was a showing that the reluctance of the witnesses to testify were situations where it was apparent the witnesses' testimony was affected by financial considerations. In the instant case there is no such showing. Even if we were to accept comments made by Hendricks' counsel at a side-bar conference as true, which we cannot do as they were never placed in evidence [see: Millican v. Hunter, 73 So.2d 58 (Fla. 1954); Hubbard v. Hubbard, 233 So.2d 150 (Fla.4th DCA 1970); Hill v. Douglass, 271 So.2d 1 (Fla. 1972)], the most they could show would be a mere reluctance to testify which, without more, would have no bearing on the witness' credibility. Therefore, the excluded evidence would not have been relevant to credibility and cross-examination of the witness was properly restricted.

By his third point, Hendricks alleges the trial court committed fundamental error in failing to instruct the jury that the offense of involuntary sexual battery requires proof of an intent to attain sexual arousal or gratification. In support of this contention, Hendricks relies on this court's holding in State v. Alonso, 345 So.2d 740 (Fla.3d DCA 1977), alleging that by virtue of the holding therein intent is an essential element of the crime of sexual battery, which must be alleged and proved. Under the facts of this case, we must disagree with Hendricks' interpretation of the effect of the holding in State v. Alonso, supra.

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Bluebook (online)
360 So. 2d 1119, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hendricks-v-state-fladistctapp-1978.