Hink v. State

1950 OK CR 37, 216 P.2d 348, 91 Okla. Crim. 85, 1950 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 192
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedMarch 15, 1950
DocketNo. A-11130
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 1950 OK CR 37 (Hink 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
Hink v. State, 1950 OK CR 37, 216 P.2d 348, 91 Okla. Crim. 85, 1950 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 192 (Okla. Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

POWELL, J.

Tom Hink was charged by information filed in the district court of Tulsa county with the crime of unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor, second offense. Defendant’s demurrer to the information was overruled, and motion to suppress was filed, heard by the court, and overruled. A jury was waived, the defendant did not testify or offer any evidence. The evidence of the arresting officer on the motion to suppress was considered as the evidence of the state, and it was stipulated by and between counsel that the allegations [87]*87of the information relative to the prior conviction of defendant in the court of common pleas of Tulsa county on November 15, 1945, for the unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor, was true and correct. The court found the defendant guilty asi charged, and fixed his punishment at imprisonment in the county jail for a term of four months and a fine of $250, and costs. Appeal has been duly perfected to this court.

The undisputed evidence disclosed that a deputy sheriff armed with a search warrant searched the defendant’s' automobile and found in the back end of said car 19 fifths and 33 pints of tax-paid whisky.

For reversal, defendant argues his case under two propositions, as follows:

“Proposition No. 1: The court erred in overruling defendant’s motion to suppress the evidence secured by reason of the search warrant.
“Proposition No. 2: The court erred in overruling defendant’s demurrer to the information.”

Counsel argues that:

“The affidavit to secure the search warrant is vague, indefinite, uncertain ambiguous, contradictory, repugnant and conflicting in that it states that intoxicating liquor ‘is being sold, stored, transported, given away and otherwise furnished’ ”.

He further argues that, “if the liquor is being sold, then it is not given away. If it is otherwise furnished, then it is not being sold or given away. If it is being stored, then it is not being transported. It cannot be all these and the affidavit states these facts conjunctively, and not disjunctively, thus creating an impossible situation.”

The affidavit complained of reads in part as follows:

[88]*88“Walter Wisenhunt, being first duly sworn, upon oath deposes and says: That certain intoxicating liquor is being sold, stored, transported, given away, and otherwise furnished; and is being kept for the purpose of being sold, stored, transported, given away, and otherwise furnished in violation of the prohibitory laws of the State of Oklahoma; the kind and description of said intoxicating liquor being as follows, to-wit: wine, beer, and other intoxicating liquor, and imitations thereof and substitutes therefor, the exact quantity thereof being unknown.
“I know that Tom Hink is a bootlegger and that he is selling whisky from this car. I have been closely observing him and this vehicle for the past month. I have seen him delivering whisky in this vehicle and recently arrested him with whisky in said vehicle. That , said intoxicating liquors are being disposed of and kept by one Tom Hink in the manner aforesaid in and/or on the following described motor vehicle, situated in Tulsa county, Okla., to wit:
“A certain Chevrolet sedan automobile bearing 1946 Oklahoma License 2-51738 with a 1947 Oklahoma tab attached, which said motor vehicle is being used in secreting, storing and transporting intoxicating liquors in and on the streets and alleys of the city of Tulsa and the highways and roads of Tulsa county, Oklahoma. * * *”

The statutory provisions for affidavit for a search warrant are found in Tit. 22 O. S. A. §§ 1222, 1223 and 1224; and Tit. 37 O. S. A. § 84. The latter statute is applicable where the search is for intoxicating liquors. The affidavit in question involves the illegal possession of intoxicating liquors, a number of kinds being enumerated. Facts are set forth tending to establish probable cause, and it is so drawn that perjury could be charged thereon if any material allegation contained therein is false. From such standpoint the affidavit meets the requirements of the above statutes.

In McHenry v. State, 61 Okla. Cr. 450, 69 P. 2d 90, an affidavit for search warrant similar in form to the af[89]*89fidavit in the within case was held to comply with the statutory requirements. Baker v. State, 28 Okla. Cr. 408, 231 P. 320, was cited where an approved form affidavit was set out. See, also, Mason v. State, 60 Okla. Cr. 392, 64 P. 2d 1238.

The search warrant is issued for the purpose of obtaining the property specified, which, if obtained, may be used as basis for a charge against the defendant, and be used as evidence to support such charge. The county attorney will determine the nature of the charge to be filed, if any. From the affidavit in the instant case, the complaining officer positively swears that he has seen the defendant delivering whisky in the vehicle in question; that he recently arrested defendant and found whisky in the vehicle. Of course, the defendant could be guilty of possessing, storing, transporting, selling and giving away liquors at the same time, if he had the quantity.

Counsel for defendant contends that the affidavit was insufficient if issued either under section 6, 31 or 82 of Title 37, O. S. A., setting out various reasons. However, an examination of the affidavit discloses that 'it was issued as provided by section 82 of Title 37, O. S.A., and the information resulting from the search was based on Title 37 O. S. A. §§ 31 and 82. This court in Howe v. State, 84 Okla. Cr. 279, 181 P. 2d 571, opinion by Barefoot, J., held:

“The word ‘premises’ in statute authorizing issuance of search warrant on filing of affidavit showing probable cause does not limit right to search of realty, but also includes right to issue warrant to search automobile or other personal property.”

As stated, the search produced 19 fifths and 33 pints of tax-paid whisky. The county attorney charged the defendant with unlawful possession of intoxicating liquors, [90]*90second offense, as provided by Section 12, Title 37, O. S. A., and Section 31,. Title 37 O. S. A. Defendant seems to argue that because the whisky was obtained by search under warrant and from an automobile, and in view of the fact that automobile is not mentioned in Section 31,. or Section 82, Title 37 O. S. A., that the search was il-légal and that his demurrer to the information should have been sustained, and that being overruled that his motion to suppress should have been sustained. The statute mentions “upon, in, or about his place of business, or any place of amusement, or recreation, or any public resort, or any club room.”

From the affidavit in question it would appear that the defendant was making his automobile his place of business. The reasons given by Judge Barefoot in support of the above rule announced in Howe v. State, supra, are applicable here, and we hold that the word “place of business” in the statute making it unlawful for any person to have in excess of one quart of spirituous, vinous, fermented or malt liquors, etc., appliesi not only to real property, but to movable personal property such as a motor vehicle, if such property is used as a place of business for violation of the liquor laws.

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

Related

Wilson v. State
1950 OK CR 48 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1950)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1950 OK CR 37, 216 P.2d 348, 91 Okla. Crim. 85, 1950 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 192, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hink-v-state-oklacrimapp-1950.