Kelly v. State

1966 OK CR 79, 415 P.2d 187, 1966 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 243
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJune 1, 1966
DocketA-13780
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 1966 OK CR 79 (Kelly 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
Kelly v. State, 1966 OK CR 79, 415 P.2d 187, 1966 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 243 (Okla. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

NIX, Judge:

Plaintiff in Error, Mike Eugene Kelly, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged in the District Court of Oklahoma County with Possession of Marijuana. He was tried by a jury, found guilty, and sentenced to Seven Years in the penitentiary. From that judgment and sentence he now appeals to this Court contending several assignments of error.

Defendant and two other boys checked into the Ramada Inn on the afternoon of July 18, 1964, each one registering for a separate room. Paul Determan, employed at the motel, testified that all three registered under ficticious names, and that the one called Sims, who registered for room 314,. was the defendant. He testified that on July 19, 1964, there was a disturbance on the third floor — one of the three men went into the room where one the maids was working and caused some trouble. That he observed the defendant on the third floor ramp going back to his own room, walking like he was “on a cloud or drunk.” He stated that he was Assistant Manager, and therefore responsible for the motel during the absence of the Manager. He then *190 walked up to the third floor, and stated he ■could smell a sweet odor coming out of 312 and 314, which he recognized as marijuana. He stated he then called the police and they came out. He gave the officers his passkey about 7:00 p. m. that evening. The officers testified, in substance, that they then went up to the rooms, and no one answered in 314 or 311, but they found two people in room 312. Three of the officers ■stayed there with these two men until Officer Swindler went to town to obtain a search warrant. When he returned, with the warrant, they searched all three rooms, and in 314 they found a penny match box containing marijuana hid in the Kleenex •dispenser in the bathroom; two hand-rolled ■marijuana cigarette butts in the ashtray on the dresser; and another penny match box ■containing vegetable matter (marijuana) ■under the mattress. Two of the officers then took the two occupants of the other room to the police station, and two remained in 314 for the occupants to return. Twenty or thirty minutes later, defendant and another man returned. He was asked his name and he told them “Sims”; he ■stated that he was the occupant of the room, and was placed under arrest.

Defendant’s first contention of error is that the trial court permitted the jury to •consider inadmissible evidence. He objects to the testimony concerning a disturbance at the motel by Mr. Determan, which prompted him to call the police. His testimony relates that the defendant was not entirely nor directly involved in each and ■every act of the disturbance, but was involved in the general disturbance. His testimony concerning defendant walking and running up on the third floor ramp was •one circumstance of the disturbance.

This testimony of Mr. Determan •concerning the acts, transactions, and oc-curences of the defendant before his arrest was relevant to the issues, and was not so Temóte as to make it inadmissible; and does not constitute reversible error.

Defendant’s second proposition is that the •evidence obtained by reason of the search warrant was improperly procured, and that said search warrant was not procured by oath or affidavit.

This Court held in the case of Hendrix v. State, 82 Okl.Cr. 105, 166 P.2d 785:

“Motion to suppress the evidence is the proper procedure to test the validity of a search warrant.”

Where counsel learns from questioning of client prior to trial that evidence has been illegally obtained, he should file motion to suppress, and support motion by evidence, so as to obtain determination of question before jury becomes aware of such evidence. Art. II, § 30, U.S.C.A.Const. Amend. 4; Sanders v. State, Okl.Cr. 287 P.2d 458.

In the event counsel is not aware of this fact, (which hardly seems likely as defendant was charged with Possession of Marijuana) and fails to file and present a Motion to Suppress evidence prior to the trial, he should interpose an objection to the introduction of any evidence concerning the marijuana at the first opportunity presented at the trial, on the grounds that it was obtained by illegal search warrant, otherwise the right to object to such evidence is deemed waived. Fulbright v. State, 96 Okl.Cr. 36, 248 P.2d 651.

There was an abundance of testimony concerning the search warrant and the marijuana found before defense counsel interposed an objection at pg. 122. The trial court recessed and took testimony in chambers regarding the affidavit, and the objection was overruled. During that hearing in chambers, it became the burden of the defendant to show the invalidity of the search. See, Simmons v. State, Okl.Cr., 272 P.2d 457, wherein this rule was re-stated:

“The law presumes the legality and regularity of all proceedings and accused who is charged with violation of prohibitory laws and raises question of invalidity of search and seizure of contraband must assume the burden to introduce evidence to show the invalidity of the search.”

*191 There was no evidence presented by the defendant, except insinuations that the affidavit and warrant had been improperly issued. The testimony of the officer taken in chambers pointed to the regularity of the warrant and affidavit.

Défendant’s third proposition of error— that Officer Satterfield injected improper testimony on cross-examination which was highly prejudicial — seems to be the most serious allegation, on its face. However, when the whole line of questioning, not only of Officer Satterfield, but of all the officers, is reviewed, it presents quite a different picture. The testimony of Officer Satterfield begins at pg. 142, and we will start at pg. 143:

“BY MR. HAGLE:
Q. Who found any anywhere else ?
A. Officer Jack Smith found some cigarette butts on the dresser.
Q. Who else found anything?
A. There was—
Q. (Interrupting) This is all in your presence and we are all in here together, right?
A. I wasn’t in the exact place when it was found.
Q. Then you didn’t see anybody find anything ?
A. No, sir.
Q. And, all you know is what they said ?
A. That is right.
Q. All right, you got the man under arrest, did you try any of the clothes on him or check the clothing out or anything like that?
A. We didn’t try any of that that night, no.
Q. Did you impound the clothing and take it to the police station?
A. I believe we did.
Q. Do you believe or know for sure ?
A. I am not for sure.
Q. Did you check around for letters or identification or anything?
A. Of the defendant.

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Bluebook (online)
1966 OK CR 79, 415 P.2d 187, 1966 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 243, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kelly-v-state-oklacrimapp-1966.