Richard Douglas Bailey v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided June 2, 2015·No. 05-14-00885-CR·Published

Opinion

MODIFY and AFFIRM; and Opinion Filed June 2, 2015.

S In The

Court of Appeals

Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-14-00885-CR

No. 05-14-00886-CR

RICHARD DOUGLAS BAILEY, Appellant V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the Criminal District Court No. 1 Dallas County, Texas

Trial Court Cause Nos. F-1234478-H & F-1234479-H

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Before Justices Fillmore, Myers, and Evans Opinion by Justice Fillmore

Following a bench trial, the trial court found appellant Richard Douglas Bailey guilty of theft of a firearm in cause number F-1234478-H and guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in a weapon-free zone in cause number F-1234479-H. The trial court assessed punishment of one year confinement in cause number F-1234478-H and four years’ confinement in cause number F-1234479-H. In two issues, Bailey contends (1) the evidence is legally insufficient to support the convictions and (2) the trial court abused its discretion by admitting evidence of his misdemeanor convictions stemming from acts that occurred prior to January 1, 1996. We modify the trial court’s judgments to reflect there were no plea bargains. As modified, we affirm the judgments.

Background

The evening of July 10, 2012, Bailey was with friends in the parking lot of an elementary school and recreation center following a basketball game. Danielle Rossi, who had been dating Bailey for several months, arrived by car with a friend. Talisha Thomas, who was also dating Bailey, was also present in the parking lot. Thomas was unaware Rossi was dating Bailey. Rossi told Bailey she was sorry she had not returned an earlier text message from him. Thomas asked to see Rossi’s phone and confirmed Bailey had been communicating with Rossi. Arguments ensued between Thomas and Bailey and between Rossi and Bailey.

According to Rossi, Bailey called her a tramp and told her that her time was coming, he was going to get her, and he was going to shoot her in the face. Rossi and her friend drove away, and Rossi stopped nearby and phoned the police. Irving Police Department officer David Zimmerman arrived and spoke with Rossi. She described the vehicle Bailey was driving as a tan Chevrolet Tahoe. Rossi testified she had never known Bailey to have a gun, and she did not recall telling the police that she felt Bailey had a gun.

Irving Police Department officer Eric Clemens was dispatched to a domestic disturbance in the parking lot of the elementary school and recreation center. Irving Police Department officer Alex Terry was also dispatched to the location. Clemens testified he arrived at the scene prior to Terry. Clemens located the sports utility vehicle and the male described in the dispatch. Bailey advised Clemens the Tahoe was a girlfriend’s vehicle he was using. Bailey’s gym bags were outside the Tahoe. Clemens testified he explained to Bailey and another male standing by the Tahoe the nature of the dispatch received and why he was there. Once Terry arrived at the scene, Clemens patted down Bailey and determined Bailey did not have a weapon on his person. Clemens then asked Bailey for permission to search the Tahoe. Bailey granted permission for search of the vehicle. The tailgate of the Tahoe was open, and Bailey began his search of the

rear compartments of the vehicle. In a closed compartment on the left side of the Tahoe, Clemens found a black nylon case containing a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Clemens testified the gun was in working order and he recalled that it was loaded. Clemens placed Bailey in handcuffs and made the pistol “inoperable.” Bailey acted shocked that the gun was in the Tahoe and stated he did not know where the gun had come from. Bailey did not tell Clemens the gun belonged to his ex-girlfriend Jaileigh Glover. Bailey was placed under arrest because he had care, custody, and control of the Tahoe in which the gun was found. Clemens contacted Zimmerman to advise that a gun had been found in the vehicle Bailey was driving. Zimmerman then came to the scene and took over the investigation.

Zimmerman testified he had been dispatched to a disturbance call. The reporting party, Rossi, had left the scene and was parked approximately a block from the elementary school and recreation center. After speaking with Rossi, Zimmerman went to the scene and contacted officers Clemens and Terry. Zimmerman took possession of the gun, bullets, and ammunition clip that had been found in the Tahoe. Zimmerman conducted a background check on Bailey and learned Bailey had been convicted of a felony. Zimmerman placed Bailey under arrest for possession of a firearm by a felon. Zimmerman testified the location of Bailey’s arrest was an elementary school, which is a weapon-free zone. Zimmerman recalled that Clemens transported Bailey to the jail while Zimmerman remained at the scene.

According to Zimmerman’s recollection, Clemens had not completed the search of the Tahoe but Bailey was in handcuffs when Zimmerman arrived at the scene. While Zimmerman was conducting a background check on Bailey, Clemens advised Zimmerman that he had located a gun in the Tahoe. Bailey stated he did not know the gun was in the Tahoe and that the gun belonged to Glover, a woman he had dated. Zimmerman contacted Glover, and he had the impression from her that the gun was hers and that she had dated Glover. Zimmerman

confirmed with the Grapevine Police Department that the gun had been reported stolen, and Zimmerman then added theft-of-a-firearm as an additional charge against Bailey.

At trial, Glover testified she dated Bailey from October 2011 to March or April 2012.

Bailey spent the night with her once or twice after they no longer dated. Glover’s father purchased a .380 caliber pistol for her to assure her protection. Glover identified the gun found in the Tahoe as her gun. She testified she had custody and control of the gun up to July 2012. Glover kept the gun in the glove compartment of her car most of the time. When she brought the gun into her apartment, she stored it in a hall closet where towels are kept. Glover testified Bailey knew she had a gun and where she kept the gun in her apartment. In 2011, Bailey had taken Glover’s gun without her permission. On that occasion, when Glover asked Bailey if he had the gun, he acknowledged that he did; Glover asked Bailey to return her gun, but he did not return it for approximately two months. Glover testified Bailey returned her gun to her sometime before the end of 2011.

In July 2012, Glover determined her gun was missing. The last time she had seen her gun, it was in the hall closet. Glover called her father, and he told her that if the gun had not been found the next day, she should file a stolen-firearm report with police. On July 9, 2012, Glover contacted Bailey because he was the last person in her apartment who knew where she kept the gun. Bailey said he had not seen her gun and asked why Glover thought he would steal her gun. Glover advised Bailey she was contacting the police to file a stolen-firearm report. According to Glover, Bailey did not encourage her to call the police. Glover filed a stolen- firearm report with the Grapevine Police Department that night. Glover testified she did not know when the gun was stolen, but the theft occurred before July 9, 2012. She recalled telling the Grapevine police that she believed her gun went missing between June 27, 2012 and July 9, 2012, although she could not recall how she arrived at the date of June 27, 2012.

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