Lee v. State

632 S.W.2d 816, 1982 Tex. App. LEXIS 4214
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 1, 1982
DocketNo. A14-81-580-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 632 S.W.2d 816 (Lee v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. State, 632 S.W.2d 816, 1982 Tex. App. LEXIS 4214 (Tex. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

J. CURTISS BROWN, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal from a conviction for delivery of a controlled substance. The questions presented are (1) whether the indictment should have been quashed subject to a timely motion because it failed to specifically negate instances in which delivery of controlled substances are lawful; (2) whether a motion for new trial alleging jury misconduct during deliberation was improperly overruled by the trial court; and (3) whether the indictment should have been dismissed on the basis of entrapment. Finding no reversible error, we affirm the conviction.

Prior to January 15, 1979 Officer Herschel Erwin, acting with an informant identified only as Andrea or Andy, contacted Nicholas Joseph Lee (Lee or appellant) on numerous occasions. These contacts consisted of telephone calls from Andy to Lee asking him to obtain heroin for her boyfriend. On January 15, 1979 Andy called Lee at the direction of Officer Erwin. Lee stated that he had some heroin for her. A meeting place was established and a small amount of the substance was sold to Officer Erwin and Andy for $100.00.

Officer Erwin called Lee again on January 19, 1979. Pursuant to arrangements made during the conversation, another purchase was made for $250.00. Officer Erwin again contacted Lee on January 29, 1979 and requested four ounces of heroin. Lee stated he would have to get in touch with his connection. Lee called back quoting a price of $3,600.00. On February 1,1979 Lee contacted Officer Erwin and made arrangements for the sale. It was during this transaction that Lee was arrested.

Lee was indicted on three counts of delivery of heroin, a controlled substance. Pretrial motions seeking to quash the indictment for failure to negate instances in which delivery of controlled substances are lawful and seeking to dismiss the cause on the basis of entrapment were resolved unfavorably to Lee. Lee then entered a plea of guilty and the jury assessed punishment at thirty years confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections. Lee perfected appeal to this Court.

Appellant brings three grounds of error complaining of the trial court’s actions (1) in overruling the motion to quash the in[818]*818dictment on the basis of failure to negate instances in which delivery of a controlled substance are lawful, (2) in overruling a motion for new trial based upon jury misconduct during deliberations, and (3) in refusing to grant a dismissal of the cause on the basis of persuasive inducement or entrapment.

Appellant’s first ground of error contends the trial court committed reversible error in overruling a motion to strike each count of the indictment. The indictment alleged that Lee did “intentionally and knowingly deliver to Herschel Erwin, a controlled substance, namely, Heroin.” It was appellant’s contention in his motion to quash, and is his contention before this Court, that the indictment failed to put him on notice of the precise nature of the accusation against him because it failed to specifically negate instances under which the delivery of controlled substances would be authorized.

Appellant relies on the case of Ferguson v. State, 622 S.W.2d 846 (Tex.Cr.App.1980), in which a conviction for delivery of a controlled substance was reversed. The Court of Criminal Appeals held that since under the Controlled Substances Act “delivery” may be accomplished in more than one manner, the State must allege the particular manner it will seek to establish upon the timely filing of a motion or exception in order to give the accused precise notice of the accusation.

The facts before us are distinguishable since the motion to dismiss the indictment complained not of lack of specificity regarding the term “delivery”, but of the fact that the indictment did not specifically negate instances in which delivery of controlled substances are authorized. It is true that Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 2.02(b) (Vernon 1974), codified a well established common law rule that

[t]he prosecuting attorney must negate the existence of an exception in the accusation charging commission of the offense and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant or defendant’s conduct does not fall within the exception.

However, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 4476-15 § 5.10(a) (Vernon 1976), expressly removed the burden of negating in an indictment any exceptions or exemptions under the Controlled Substances Act and placed the burden of going forward with evidence concerning such exemptions or exceptions upon the defendant. Threlkeld v. State, 558 S.W.2d 472 (Tex.Cr.App.1977). Furthermore, there are no occasions where an individual is authorized to deliver heroin. The State need not negate that which is statutorily impossible. Rodriquez v. State, 561 S.W.2d 4 (Tex.Cr.App.1978). Therefore, we hold the indictment in this case was not subject to the attack made in appellant’s motion to quash. Appellant’s first ground of error is overruled.

In his second ground of error appellant contends the trial court committed reversible error in overruling a motion for new trial alleging jury misconduct during deliberation. It was alleged by appellant that one of the jurors stated if the punishment was assessed at confinement for a period of ten years or less appellant would be placed on probation. This allegedly caused two other jurors to vote for the thirty year sentence.

When a jury retires to deliberate, no additional evidence shall be received. Such other evidence would be contrary to the constitutional provisions according to the defendant the right to be confronted by the witnesses against him. Stephenson v. State, 571 S.W.2d 174 (Tex.Cr.App.1978). In order to mandate a new trial, the “other evidence” must (1) be received by the jury and (2) be detrimental to the accused. Tex. Code Crim.Pro.Ann. art. 40.03(7) (Vernon 1979); Hunt v. State, 603 S.W.2d 865 (Tex.Cr.App.1980). If there is conflicting evidence on the issue of whether the jury received the evidence, a fact question is presented, and the trial court’s determination of the question will be overturned on appeal only if an abuse of discretion is shown. McIlveen v. State, 559 S.W.2d 815, 818-19 (Tex.Cr.App.1977).

Attached to the motion for new trial were three affidavits. Two of the affidavits were by a person who interviewed two of the jurors. Each of these affidavits stat[819]*819ed that the juror involved refused to make an affidavit. One of the affidavits stated that during the interview the juror said some member of the jury expressed that if the jury were to assess punishment at ten years it would automatically be probated. The second affidavit by the interviewer stated that the juror was under the same impression as to automatic probation but related no circumstances as to how she came to have such an impression. The third affidavit which was actually by a jur- or made no mention of probation.

The State filed nine juror affidavits in response.

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Bluebook (online)
632 S.W.2d 816, 1982 Tex. App. LEXIS 4214, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-state-texapp-1982.