People v. Francis

450 P.2d 591, 71 Cal. 2d 66, 75 Cal. Rptr. 199, 1969 Cal. LEXIS 234
CourtCalifornia Supreme Court
DecidedMay 6, 1969
DocketCrim. No. 12971
StatusPublished
Cited by322 cases

This text of 450 P.2d 591 (People v. Francis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Francis, 450 P.2d 591, 71 Cal. 2d 66, 75 Cal. Rptr. 199, 1969 Cal. LEXIS 234 (Cal. 1969).

Opinions

BURKE, J.

An information was filed charging Gary Dale [70]*70Francis with selling and giving away marijuana (Health & Saf. Code, § 11531. )1 A jury trial was waived, and the ease was submitted on the preliminary hearing transcript. The court found Francis guilty of possession of marijuana (Health & Saf. Code, § 11530), which the court determined to be "a lesser offense than that charged . . . but necessarily included therein.’' The court denied probation and sentenced him to imprisonment in the state prison for the term prescribed by law.

Francis appeals from the judgment contending, among other things, that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction and that, if the conviction is sustained, the ease should be remanded to the trial court with directions to reconsider the. sentence in view of a recent amendment to section 11530, which permits the trial court in certain cases to impose a county jail term.2 We have concluded that the conviction should be upheld but that because of the recent amendment to section 11530 the ease should be remanded to the trial court to reconsider the matter of probation and sentence.

Officer Finnigan (who presumably was acting undercover) met Francis and Gerald Roberts at a trailer court. Francis indicated that he and. Roberts were going that evening to purchase marijuana and agreed to take Finnigan with them. The three men and one Bill Jones drove in the officer’s car to the home of Cleatus Andex-son. There Finnigan was introduced to Cleatus and Gary Anderson. Francis told Gary I Anderson that they were interested in purchasing marijuana, I and, upon being • asked how much they wanted, Francis! replied “four cans.” Gary Anderson stated he would have toj go to Bell Gardens to pick it up, and he and a woman left.I They returned a short while later, and Gary Anderson was! carrying a sack from which he removed four “sandwich bag! packages.” He handed Francis, Finnigan, Jones and Roberts! each one package. Francis gave money to Roberts, who handed! it together with an additional sum to Gary Anderson. Finni-f gan paid Gary Anderson directly. It was stipulated that an! [71]*71examination revealed that tbe substance in the package' handed to Finnigan was marijuana.

Francis contends that there is no evidence that he had possession of the marijuana sold to Officer Finnigan. Unlawful possession of narcotics is established by proof that the defendant had, among other things, physical or constructive possession of the contraband. (People v. Groom, 60 Cal.2d 694, 696 [36 Cal.Rptr. 327, 388 P.2d 359]; People v. Gorg, 45 Cal.2d 776, 780 [291 P.2d 469].) There is no evidence that Francis had physical possession of the marijuana sold to Finnigan; Gary Anderson obtained the marijuana and handed it directly to Finnigan.

The Attorney General asserts that Francis had constructive possession of the marijuana sold to Finnigan.3 “The accused has constructive possession when he maintains control or a right to control the contraband. ’! (People v. Showers, 68 Cal.2d 639, 643-644 [68 Cal.Rptr. 459, 440 P.2d 939].) “Possession may be imputed when the contraband is found in a location which is immediately and exclusively accessible to the accused and subject to his dominion and control” (People v. Showers, supra, 68 Cal.2d at p. 644) or which is subject to the joint dominion and control of the accused and another (People v. Jackson, 191 Cal.App.2d 296, 302 [12 Cal.Rptr. 748]; People v. Poe, 164 Cal.App.2d 514, 516 [330 P.2d 681]; People v. MacArthur, 126 Cal.App.2d 232, 236 [271 P.2d 914]). The accused also has constructive possession of ’narcotics that are in the physical possession of his agent or of any other ¡person when the defendant has an immediate right to exercise ¡iominion and control over the narcotics. (People v. White, 50 Cal.2d 428, 431 [325 P.2d 985]; People v. Blunt, 241 Cal.App.2d 200, 204 [50 Cal.Rptr. 440]; People v. Gonzales, 116 Cal.App.2d 843, 844 [254 P.2d 603]; People v. Sinclair, 129 Cal.App. 320, 322 [19 P.2d 23].)

The record is devoid of evidence that Francis had lontrol or a right to control the marijuana sold to Finnigan. It does not appear that the marijuana was at a location sublet to the dominion and control of Francis when Gary nderson picked it up, nor does it appear that Gary Ander-H>n was the agent of Francis or that Francis had a right to cercise dominion and control over the marijuana while it was H. Gary Anderson’s physical possession.

Similarly, it does not appear that Francis had physical or [72]*72constructive possession of the substances Gary Anderson sold to Jones and Roberts.

A conviction for possession of marijuana may be upheld whe'fe there is evidence that the defendant aided and abetted another in committing the crime of possession of narcotics. (People v. Hood, 150 Cal.App.2d 197, 201 [309 P.2d 856]; People v. Henderson, 121 Cal.App.2d 816, 817-818 [264 P.2d 225]; People v. Bigelow, 104 Cal.App.2d 380; 389 [231 P.2d 881].) Here, however, although there is evidence that Francis aided and abetted Gary Anderson in committing the crime of sale of marijuana,4 no claim is made, and it does not appear, that there is any evidence that Francis aided and abetted Gary Anderson in committing the crime of possession of marijuana. To be an abettor the accused must have instigated or advised the commission of the crime or been present for the purpose of assisting in its commission. He must share the criminal intent with which the crime was committed. The mere presence of the accused at the scene of the crime does not alone establish that the accused was an abettor. ... In order to hold the accused as an aider and abettor the test is whether the accused in any way, directly or indirectly, aided the perpetrator by acts or encouraged him by words or gestures.” (People v. Villa, 156 Cal.App.2d 128, 133-134 [318 P.2d 828].) The record does not show that Francis aided or encouraged Gary Anderson in obtaining or retaining possession of marijuana. So far as appears, when Francis expressed interest in buying marijuana Gary Anderson may already have had possession of the marijuana he later sold; the record shows merely that Gary Anderson stated he would have to go to Bell Gardens to pick it up.

Francis further asserts that there is no evidence that the package he purchased contained marijuana. Although it does not appear that the package Francis received was seized and analyzed, the narcotic character of a substance may, of course, be proved by circumstantial evidence (People v. Ihm, 247 Cal.App.2d 388, 392 [55 Cal.Rptr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
450 P.2d 591, 71 Cal. 2d 66, 75 Cal. Rptr. 199, 1969 Cal. LEXIS 234, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-francis-cal-1969.