Smith v. State

253 So. 2d 465
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedOctober 19, 1971
DocketL-456 to L-458
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 253 So. 2d 465 (Smith v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. State, 253 So. 2d 465 (Fla. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

253 So.2d 465 (1971)

Claude SMITH, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Florida, Appellee.

Nos. L-456 to L-458.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.

October 19, 1971.

*466 Chester Bedell and Robert P. Smith, Jr., Jacksonville, for appellant.

Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., and Raymond L. Marky, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

JOHNSON, Judge.

The appellant, Smith, was tried under five amended informations, which charged in substance that on certain dates in 1965 and 1966, Smith, while a member of the Jacksonville City Council did "corruptly request, solicit, and accept" for himself and others stated sums of money from Sidney Lewis, an employee of Florida Equipment Company of Jacksonville, "under an agreement and with an understanding" between appellant and Lewis to the effect that such money would influence the appellant's decision as a City Commissioner and would influence and induce appellant in the performance of his duties, to authorize and approve the purchase of certain mechanical equipment by the City from Florida Equipment Company of Jacksonville. The five cases were consolidated for trial and upon the trial the court entered a judgment of acquittal at the close of the State's case on one of the charges and the jury acquitted the appellant on another charge. The three cases in which the jury convicted the appellant were appealed to this court and consolidated in one appeal.

The testimony of Lewis, who is alleged to have been the giver of the bribes in question, whose testimony was given under immunity, was to the effect that on some unspecified date in the fall of 1962, Lewis approached the appellant and complained that his company, Florida Equipment Company, was not getting its fair share of the City's business.

Lewis also testified that the appellant offered to help Lewis in the future and also testified that the appellant advised said Lewis that funds to purchase the equipment had to be transferred from other accounts and "it has to be okayed by a committee" and that "they — whoever `they' are — said they would not transfer these funds to assist him (Smith) unless they were going to get something out of it."

Said Lewis further testified (T.R. 1033) "not Mr. Smith" said Lewis, "but whoever they are" "* * * they would like to have not less than possibly 5%, if possible, on any purchases that are made, or they will not transfer the funds to me."

The witness, Lewis, testified that the conversation between himself and the appellant took place the latter part of 1962 but that neither before that time nor since then has such a similar conversation taken place between the appellant and said witness Lewis.

In the informations upon which the appellant was convicted, it was alleged that the dates of the offense in Information #4912 (Case #L-456) was January 20, 1965, Information #4913 (Case #L-457) was June 2, 1965, and Information #4914 (Case #L-458) was June 8, 1966.

*467 Under Case No. L-456 (Information #4912) the Bill of Particulars specified that the particular equipment referred to in the information was a Model 164 Trojan loader. The evidence first showed that this particular equipment had been purchased by the City in an emergency condition created by Hurricane Dora for immediate delivery at a time when no comparable equipment was available for immediate delivery by other suppliers and this equipment was placed to work immediately on September 23, 1964.

It further shows that the appellant wrote a letter on October 12th, 1964 formally accepting the equipment, but pointed out the same would not be paid for until the 1965 budget. It further shows that without any further action on the part of the appellant, the City issued its check to Florida Equipment Company on January 18, 1965 in payment of said loader. There was no proof offered by the State that there was anything necessary to be done by the appellant to further authorize and approve the purchase of this loader.

In Case No. L-457 (Information #4913) the appellant was charged with accepting $1500.00 on June 2, 1965 from Lewis. The Bill of Particulars specified that the particular equipment referred to was a M-B Cruiser four-wheel street sweeper and that the appellant made a motion, which was approved by the City Commission to purchase said piece of equipment at its meeting on May 8, 1965, and that the purchase agreement was executed by the proper officials on that date. The equipment was delivered on May 17, 1965 and there was no further proof offered by the State of any act of authorization or approval for the purchase of said machine which the appellant took or was to take or could have taken on or after June 2, 1965, the date on which the appellant allegedly accepted the money as an inducement to authorize and approve the purchase of said machine.

In Case #L-458 (Information #4914), said appellant was charged of accepting $2600.00 on June 8, 1966 under an agreement with the witness Lewis that such money would "influence his action" and "would induce him" to authorize and approve the purchase of still other equipment from Florida Equipment Company. The Bill of Particulars in this case specifies the equipment referred to in the amended information as three (3) garbage trucks — Fords with loadmaster bodies. The evidence further shows that the City purchased this equipment following and as a result of a competitive bidding according to specifications. The testimony further shows that the Awards Committee of the City of Jacksonville of which the appellant was not a member, recommended that Florida Equipment Company's bid be accepted as the only bid complying with the specifications. The appellant's action with respect to this purchase was that he made the motion on February 2, 1966 at the Commissioner's meeting that the Awards Committee report be approved and that a purchase order be issued to Florida Equipment Company. No further evidence was introduced connecting the appellant with this transaction except the allegation that the witness Lewis paid the appellant the said $2600.00 on June 8, 1966.

The appellant has raised three points on this appeal as follows:

"1. Whether the State proved the charges as laid against appellant by the amended informations;
2. Whether the trial court's charge to the jury was so inaccurate, inapplicable and misleading as to require a new trial; and
3. Whether, because of erroneous rulings by the trial court respecting the voir dire examination of jurors, the order of proof and the interrogation of witnesses, and because of improper jury argument by the prosecutors, a new trial is required."

We will take the second point raised by appellant and summarily dispose of said point as being without merit.

*468 The point numbered one raised by the appellant raises considerable doubt and questions as to whether or not the appellant has been properly tried under the correct statute, (F.S. Section 838.012, F.S.A.) or whether he should have been tried under Section 838.06, Florida Statutes, F.S.A.

The two statutes in question are dealing with the same offenses, the offenses of bribery — acceptance of bribes by public officers, as provided in Section 838.012, and the taking of unauthorized compensation for performance or nonperformance of duties by public officers as provided in Florida Statutes Section 838.06, F.S.A.

Florida Statutes § 838.012, F.S.A. was enacted by the Legislature in 1955 as Chapter 29722. Section 2 of said act is as follows:

"Section 2. Accepting bribe.

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Bluebook (online)
253 So. 2d 465, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-state-fladistctapp-1971.