Hock v. State

531 S.W.2d 701, 259 Ark. 67, 1976 Ark. LEXIS 2031
Supreme Court of Arkansas·Decided January 12, 1976·No. CR 75-123·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinions

Conley Byrd, Justice.

Appellant Daniel Albert Hock was tried and found guilty of the felonious possession of 24 pounds of marijuana for the purpose and with the intent to sell in violation of Ark. Stat. Ann. § 82-2614.2 (Supp. 1973). For reversal of his three year sentence, he makes the contentions hereinafter discussed.

We find no merit to the contention that his in-custody confession was invalidated because of the officers’ failure to give proper Miranda warnings. The warning given to appellant, in so far as here applicable, was as follows:

“. . . You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions and to have him with you during questioning. You have the right to the advice and presence of a'lawyer even if you cannot afford to hire one. We have no way of giving you a lawyer, but one will be appointed you, if you wish, if and when you go to Court. .

Appellant points to Reed v. State, 255 Ark. 63, 498 S.W. 2d 877 (1973), and contends that the italicized portion of the warning is deficient. However, in Moore v. State, 251 Ark. 436, 472 S.W. 2d 940 (1971), we had before us this same identical warning, and we there pointed out that, while the warning was deficient to an indigent, it would not be deficient to one who could afford to employ counsel. The record here shows that appellant had funds for the employment of counsel. Consequently, it follows that he is not entitled to complain.

Appellant points to our holding in Northern v. State, 257 Ark. 549, 518 S.W. 2d 482 (197.5), and suggests that the State did not meet its burden of proving the voluntariness of his confession because it did not call all of the officers present when his confession was given. We find no merit to this contention. Appellant failed to offer any testimony that his confession was induced by violence, threats, coercion or offers of reward.

Appellant confessed that he had brought 34 pounds of marijuana with him on his trip and that he had already sold 10 pounds to one Jo Jo Alexander. He contends that such evidence should not have been submitted to the jury because it involved prior crimes. We find no merit to this contention. Such evidence was admissible to show the purpose for which appellant possessed the marijuana — a material element of the crime.

The record shows that prior to contacting appellant, Sheriff Max Brown obtained a search warrant, and that armed with the search warrant, the sheriff with deputies Smith and Talkington went to Lake Chicot State Park looking for the person or persons fitting the descriptions given them by a confidential informant. After finding appellant and his co-defendant and making a search of appellant’s automobile and Cabin #5, the sheriff made the following return on the search warrant, to-wit:

No......
SEARCH WARRANT
State of Arkansas
County of CHICOT
I have this 20 day of March 1975, made diligent search of the described (time Approx. 4:00 p.m.) premises, and searched Cabin §5 at Chicot State Park occupied by Daniel A. Hock & Richard Martin Dickman & Black Pont. Auto — belonging to Daniel Hock — found approx. 24 lbs. Marijuana under sink in two suitcases in Cabin #5 Sheriff Returned and filed 20 March 1975.

At trial on May 15, 1975, the State did not rely upon the validity of the search warrant but, instead, relied upon a consent to search. In that connection during an in-chambers hearing it offered the testimony of the sheriff and Deputies Smith and Coalter.

Samuel Smith, Jr., Deputy Sheriff, testified as follows:

“A. Well, we pulled up at this cabin and there was some men working on the building. And, we asked them if the boys were there, or the people there. They said they were down there fishing. We walked down there where they was. The Sheriff introduced us. Told them that he had heard that they had some of that funny stuff, and he wanted to search the building. And, the boys was so calm, to tell you the truth, I started to come back and not even—
Q. Didn’t Max have the Search Warrant with him?
A. I presumed he did.
Q. Did you see it?
A. I didn’t see him show it to them. No sir.
Q. Now, Mr. Smith, isn’t it true that Max had this Search Warrant in his hand, and said we have a Search Warrant? Didn’t he say that?
A. I can’t remember. I mean, if he did, I can’t remember.
Q. But he did have a Search Warrant in his hand, didn’t he?
A. No, I couldn’t say that.
Q. You don’t know?
A. I don’t know.”

Lewis Colater, Deputy Sheriff, testified that he got there late and the search was already in progress when he arrived.

Sheriff Brown testified as follows:

“Q. What happened when you went to the State Park?

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Hock v. State, 531 S.W.2d 701, 259 Ark. 67, 1976 Ark. LEXIS 2031 (Ark. 1976).

531 S.W.2d 701 (Hock v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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