Shumaker v. State

2007 WY 143, 167 P.3d 11, 2007 Wyo. LEXIS 155, 2007 WL 2518277
CourtWyoming Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 7, 2007
DocketNo. 06-33
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2007 WY 143 (Shumaker v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wyoming Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shumaker v. State, 2007 WY 143, 167 P.3d 11, 2007 Wyo. LEXIS 155, 2007 WL 2518277 (Wyo. 2007).

Opinion

KITE, Justice.

[T1] Mr. Shumaker challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support his convietion by a jury of possessing marijuana with intent to deliver. He claims that the State failed to prove he possessed marijuana in violation of Wyoming statutes because law enforcement only recovered marijuana stems and seeds from his home. Relying on the definition of marijuana set out in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-7-1002(a)(xiv) (LexisNexis 2007), which exempts some types of marijuana stems and seeds, he claims the State was required to prove that the stems and seeds recovered from his home did not fall within the exemption and the State failed to satisfy that burden. We conclude there was sufficient civeumstantial evidence for the jury to conclude that he possessed marijuana prohibited by Wyoming statutes. Consequently, we affirm. .

ISSUE

[12] Mr. Shumaker presents the following issue on appeal:

Was there insufficient evidence to con-viet appellant of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, with intent to deliver, where the evidence presented during trial revealed that appellant possessed 'seeds and stems?

FACTS

[13] On September 26, 2004, Mr. Shu maker's girlfriend informed law enforcement that she had witnessed him sexually abusing her infant daughter. Law enforcement executed a search warrant for Mr. Shumaker's home in Casper, Wyoming and recovered a silver platter containing marijuana stems and seeds, together with other paraphernalia associated with drug use and sale.

[14] Mr. Shimaker was arrested and agreed to be interviewed by a detective. During the interview, he admitted to possessing and using marijuana. He also indicated that he had sold marijuana to friends. The State charged him with five counts, including four counts pertaining to the alleged assault on the child and one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, mari[12]*12Juana, in violation of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-7-1081(a) (LexisNexis 2007).

[T5] The matter went to trial before a jury in June 2005. At the conclusion of the State's case-in-chief, defense counsel moved for a judgment of acquittal on all counts. The district court denied the motion, concluding there was sufficient evidence for the trial to continue. The jury returned a verdict acquitting Mr. Shumaker of the four assault counts but finding him guilty of the drug charge, and the district court entered a judgment on the jury's verdict. 'After the district court sentenced him, Mr. Shumaker filed a timely notice of appeal.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

[16] Mr. Shumaker claims the State did not present sufficient evidence to support the jury's conclusion that he was guilty of possessing marijuana with intent to deliver. In determining whether sufficient evidence was presented to sustain Mr. Shumaker's convietion, we apply the following standard:

[Wle examine and accept as true the State's evidence and all reasonable inferences which can be drawn from it. We do not consider conflicting evidence presented by the defendant. We do not substitute our judgment for that of the jury; rather, we determine whether a jury could have reasonably concluded each of the elements of the erime was proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This standard applies whether the supporting evidence is direct or circumstantial.

Martin v. State, 2007 WY 2, ¶ 32, 149 P.3d 707, 715 (Wyo.2007) citing Butcher v. State, 2005 WY 146, ¶ 16, 123 P.3d 548, 549 (Wyo.2005). See also, Garay v. State, 2007 WY 130, ¶ 2, 165 P.3d 99 (Wyo.2007).

DISCUSSION

[T7] Mr. Shumaker was convicted of possession with intent to deliver marijuana in violation of § 35-7-1031(a)1. The district court instructed the jury that in order to convict Mr. Shumaker of the charged crime it had to find that the State proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, each of the following elements:

1. On or about the 26+" day of September, 2004
2. In Natrona County, State of Wyoming 3. The Defendant, Daniel Earl Shumaker
4. Possessed a controlled substance, [mJarijuana, with intent to deliver it to another person.

[T8] Mr. Shumaker's challenge on appeal is limited to the sufficiency of the evidence to support the jury's finding that the substance he possessed was illegal marijuana. Mr. Shumaker's argument focuses on the definition of marijuana set out in § 35-7-1002(a)(xiv) (emphasis added):

(xiv) "Marihuana" means all parts of the plant of the genus Cannabis, whether growing or not; the seed thereof; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin. It does not include the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of the mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil or cake, or the sterilized seed of the plant which is incapable of germination|.]

He claims the State had the burden of proving that the stems and seeds recovered from his home were not "mature stalks" or "sterilized seed of the plant which is incapable of germination." Id.

[19] In response, the State argues that, as defendant, Mr. Shumaker had the obligation to prove the substances he possessed fell within the exemption. In support of its argument, the State directs us to Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-7-1050(a) (LexisNexis 2007) which provides:

[13]*13(a) It is not necessary for the state to negate any exemption or exception in this act2 in any complaint, information, indictment, or other pleading or in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding under this act. The burden of proof of any exemption or exception is upon the person claiming it.

(footnote added).

[T 10] After considering the record on appeal, we conclude it is unnecessary for us to decide which party had the burden of proving whether the stems and seeds recovered by law enforcement from Mr. Shumaker's home fell within the statutory definition of marijuana. Instead, we conclude there was sufficient cireumstantial evidence that he possessed illegal marijuana to sustain his conviction.

[T11] In Urrutia v. State, 924 P.2d 965, 968 (Wyo.1996), we held: "The prosecution may rely on circumstantial evidence to prove identity of the controlled substance because "unlawful distribution of a substance, which by its nature is to be consumed, should not escape prosecution because the state could not seize a sample of the substance."" Id. at 968, quoting Lobatos v. State, 875 P.2d 716, 720 (Wyo.1994). See also, 28A C.J.S. Drugs and Narcotics § 244 (2007); William A. Harrington, LL.B., Annotation, Sufficiency of Prosecution Proof That Substance Defendant is Charged with Possessing or Selling, or Otherwise Unlawfully Dealing in, is Marijuana, 75 AL.R.3d 717 (1977). The specifics of Urrutia are pertinent to our analysis here. Mr. Urrutia argued the State did not present sufficient evidence to support his conviction for possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

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Bluebook (online)
2007 WY 143, 167 P.3d 11, 2007 Wyo. LEXIS 155, 2007 WL 2518277, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shumaker-v-state-wyo-2007.