Hodges v. State

604 S.W.2d 152, 1980 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1237
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 11, 1980
Docket63831
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 604 S.W.2d 152 (Hodges v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hodges v. State, 604 S.W.2d 152, 1980 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1237 (Tex. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION

ODOM, Judge.

This is an appeal from a conviction for possession of phenylacetone and methyla-mine, said substances being possessed together with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Appellant pled guilty and was assessed punishment of four years.

Appellant raises several grounds of error attacking the indictment and two grounds of error attacking the search warrant. 1

The search warrant issues will be considered first. The affidavit in support of the search warrant recited in relevant part:

“Affiant received information from a credible and reliable source that first name unknown — last name unknown, a white male approximately 35 years of age, with a dark beard and short dark hair, no other description available, was keeping a controlled substance, to-wit: a usable amount of marijuana, inside his residence located at 1108 Alden Drive, Austin, Travis County, Texas. Affiants source has been present inside the above described residence within the past 72 hours and has observed the above described subject in possession of a usable amount of marijuana inside the above described residence. Although I do not wish to name my source for reason of my sources safety and well-being, source has given this affiant information in the past *154 that has proven to be true and correct and has led to the seizure of controlled substances and to the arrest of persons for violations of the Controlled Substances Act.”

Appellant contends this affidavit is insufficient because it gives a description without naming him, when the officer obtaining the warrant knew or should have known his name, and because the name of affiant’s source of information was not disclosed when the source could have testified whether appellant was the person seen in possession of the controlled substance.

These contentions are without merit. It was not necessary to name appellant in the search warrant. Doby v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 363 S.W.2d 286; Dawson v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 477 S.W.2d 277. Even if the officer knew appellant resided at the premises, appellant may not have even been the person seen by the informant at those premises. Obviously, more than one person may reside at a place, and it would not have been proper for the officer to have substituted appellant’s name if the informant did not know the name of the person he saw in possession of the controlled substance at the identified residence. It also follows that it was not necessary to produce the informant to testify as to whether appellant was the person he saw, because even if he was not, it would not invalidate the warrant. These grounds of error are overruled.

We turn now to the grounds of error concerning the indictment. All complain of adverse rulings on his motions to quash.

In one ground of error appellant argues that the grand jury was illegally constituted. He asserts that an exhibit introduced at the hearing on his motion shows that one “John T. Henderson” was on the grand jury, but that “Mrs. John T. Henderson” who was not on the list of grand jurors, was elsewhere listed as assistant foreman of the grand jury. After careful examination of the exhibit referred to by appellant, we have been unable to find “Mrs. John T. Henderson” listed anywhere in the exhibit. Furthermore, even if her name did appear as asserted by appellant, there is no showing that she was present during deliberations on appellant’s case, and we would not be able to presume her presence since nine grand jurors would be a quorum. See, Arts. 19.40, 20.19, 27.03(2), V.A.C.C.P. This ground of error is overruled.

The remaining challenges to the indictment concern the construction and application of various sections of the Controlled Substances Act, Art. 4476-15, V.A.C.S. We set out the sections in issue:

Sec. 1.02(5):
“ ‘Controlled substance’ means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor listed in Schedules I through V and Penalty Groups 1 through 4 of this Act.”
Sec. 2.01:
“The legislature determines that the substances listed in Schedules I, II, III, IV and V and in Penalty Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 shall be controlled substances.”
Sec. 2.04(a), (d), (e)(2):
“(a) Schedule II shall consist of the controlled substances listed in this section.”
“(d) Phenylacetone and methylamine if possessed together with intent to manufacture methamphetamine.”
“(e) Unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of the following substances having a potential for abuse associated with a stimulant effect on the central nervous system:
“(1) ■ • ■
“(2) methamphetamine, . . . ”
Sec. 4.02(a), (b)(6), (8):
“(a) For the purpose of establishing criminal penalties for violation of a provision of this Act, there are established the following groups of controlled substances.
“(b) Penalty Group 1. Penalty Group 1 shall include the following controlled substances:
“(6) Methamphetamine .
*155 “(8) Phenylacetone and methylamine, if possessed together with intent to manufacture methamphetamine.”
Sec. 4.03(a), (b)(1):
“(a) Except as authorized by this Act, a person commits an offense if he knowingly or intentionally manufactures, delivers or possesses with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance listed in Penalty Group 1, 2, 3 or 4.
“(b) An offense under Subsection (a) of this section with respect to:
“(1) a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1 is a felony of the first degree.”
Sec. 4.04(a), (b)(1):

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
604 S.W.2d 152, 1980 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hodges-v-state-texcrimapp-1980.