Porter v. State

570 So. 2d 823
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Alabama
DecidedAugust 3, 1990
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 570 So. 2d 823 (Porter v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Porter v. State, 570 So. 2d 823 (Ala. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

570 So.2d 823 (1990)

Charlotte K. PORTER
v.
STATE.

5 Div. 616.

Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama.

August 3, 1990.
Rehearing Denied September 21, 1990.
Certiorari Denied December 14, 1990.

*824 Donald M. Phillips, Lanett, for appellant.

Don Siegelman, Atty. Gen., and Venessa Campbell, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

Alabama Supreme Court 1900092.

PATTERSON, Judge.

Appellant, Charlotte K. Porter, and her husband, Darrell Porter, were jointly indicted in a two-count indictment for possession of cocaine, in violation of § 13A-12-212, Code of Alabama 1975, and possession of marijuana for other than personal use, in violation of § 13A-12-213(a)(1). The cases were severed, and the state proceeded to trial against appellant. A jury found her guilty of possession of cocaine and guilty of the lesser-included offense of possession of marijuana for personal use. The trial court sentenced her to eight years' imprisonment for the possession of cocaine conviction and twelve months' confinement in the county jail for the possession of marijuana for personal use conviction. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Darrell Porter was never tried; the state entered a nolle prosequi as to the charges against him. Appellant appeals, raising two issues.

The state's evidence disclosed that appellant's residence was searched by officers of the Chambers County sheriff's department pursuant to a search warrant. The officers discovered five marijuana plants in the back yard, one marijuana plant in the kitchen, equipment in the barn for growing marijuana, and marijuana in small amounts in various other places in the residence. Also, they found a plastic bag containing cocaine on a shelf in the bedroom closet; various items of drug paraphernalia with *825 cocaine residue in a box in the bedroom; two bottles of inositol in plain view on the bedside table; a set of electronic scales on the floor beside the bed; and packaging equipment, including plastic sandwich bags and "twist" ties, in a box on the floor in the bedroom. A small notepad with "dates, names, amounts, ... amounts in weights and also dollar amounts out to the side with markings of `paid'," along with four one-hundred dollar bills, was found under the mattress. Appellant and her husband were separated at the time, and he did not live at the residence, even though he paid the utility bills and the rent. Appellant apparently had exclusive possession of the residence at the time; however, Mr. Porter was a frequent visitor. The bedroom in which the cocaine was seized was occupied by appellant, and her clothing was in the closet. She told the officers at the time of the search that the marijuana belonged to her and that she grew it for her personal use. She made no statement in reference to the cocaine and did not testify at her trial. In defense she called her husband as a witness and asked him if the cocaine was his. He refused to answer the question, invoking his rights under the Fifth Amendment. She also presented witnesses to show that her husband paid the rent and utility bills for the residence.

I.

Appellant's first contention arises out of the following instructions given the jury by the trial court pursuant to a written request by the prosecution:

"I charge you, also, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that under the law of the State of Alabama a person is legally accountable for the behavior of another person constituting a criminal offense if with intent to promote or assist in the commission of an offense, one, he or she procures or induces or causes such other person to commit the offense. Or, two, he or she aids or abets such other person in committing the offense. Or, three, he or she has a legal duty to prevent the commission of the offense and fails to make such effort as he or she is legally required to make to prevent it."

The instruction is in the language of the statute defining complicity. Ala.Code § 13A-2-23 (1975).

Appellant objects to the following portion of the court's instruction:

"[A] person is legally accountable for the behavior of another person constituting a criminal offense if with intent to promote or assist in the commission of an offense,... he or she has a legal duty to prevent the commission of the offense and fails to make such effort as he or she is legally required to make to prevent it."

Appellant argues that her mere presence at the time and place of the charged crime of possession of cocaine[1] is not sufficient to make her guilty of the crime. She argues that the instruction gave the jury the false impression that she could be found guilty simply because she did not prevent her husband from committing the crime. She contends that there is no provision in our criminal code that provides that a person can be convicted of possession of a controlled substance by failing to prevent possession by another.

The state does not address this issue, but, relying on A.R.Crim.P.Temp. 14, contends that appellant is procedurally barred from raising this issue on appeal because of her failure to state specific grounds for her objection to the instruction. We do not agree with the state's position. The objection was sufficient to bring the matter to the attention of the trial court and preserve its ruling for review. Appellant's attorney stated the following to the trial court when objecting to the instruction: "[W]hat this says as I told the Court in our charge conference ... is that there is a duty on this defendant to stop someone else from committing the *826 crime. I submit that's not the law in Alabama, and that's the burden that you have put on the defendant in this case."

The commentary to § 13A-2-23 states, in pertinent part, as follows:

"This section formalizes in simple terms the basic principles for determining criminal liability where based upon the behavior of another person or persons. It delineates both the type of action or omission required and the necessary mental state. ...
"....
"... What this section does is define complicity in clear, direct and explicit terms, rather than attempt to accommodate the common-law concepts in defining accessorial liability. The test will be whether the accused with the intent to promote or assist the perpetration of an offense did any of certain enumerated acts in subdivisions (1) or (2) or failed to act (3).
"....
"The three subparagraphs delineate various types of action or omission which might hold one to accountability. Subdivision (1) imposes liability in the situation where the defendant is the party who instigates or starts the complicitous conduct. ...
"....
"Subdivision (2) imposes liability in the situation where one joins in the complicitous action. The classic words `aid and abet' are used. Aiding and abetting comprehends all assistance rendered by acts, or words of encouragement, or support or presence actual or constructive to render assistance should it become necessary, and no particular acts are necessary. ...
"Subdivision (3) places liability in the situation where the defendant who has a legal duty to prevent the crime fails to do so with the intent to further the crime. Although apparently there is no recent Alabama case law on this point, it has been established in other common law jurisdictions.

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Bluebook (online)
570 So. 2d 823, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/porter-v-state-alacrimapp-1990.