State Of Washington, V Brian Alan Oleson

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedApril 12, 2016
Docket46869-7
StatusUnpublished

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Bluebook
State Of Washington, V Brian Alan Oleson, (Wash. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

April 12, 2016

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 46869-7-II

Respondent,

v.

BRIAN ALAN OLESON, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant.

MAXA, J. – Brian Oleson appeals his convictions of two counts of second degree

unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of possession of methamphetamine and also

appeals the imposition of legal financial obligations (LFOs).

We hold that (1) the charging document was sufficient even though it failed to identify

the specific firearm that supported each of the unlawful possession of a firearm counts, (2) the

State presented sufficient evidence that Oleson constructively possessed firearms and

methamphetamine, (3) the trial court’s constructive possession instruction correctly stated the

law because having the immediate ability to take actual possession is not required to prove

constructive possession, (4) the trial court did not err in giving a reasonable doubt instruction that

was identical to Washington Pattern Instruction: Criminal (WPIC) 4.01,1 (5) the prosecutor’s

comments that “there’s certainly things you don’t know,” and that the jury had not heard the

1 11 WASHINGTON PRACTICE: WASHINGTON PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS: CRIMINAL 4.01, at 85 (3d ed. 2008). No. 46869-7-II

“back-story,” Report of Proceedings (RP) (Sept. 15, 2014) at 601, did not have a substantial

likelihood of affecting the jury’s verdict because the trial court instructed the jury to disregard

the comments, and (6) we exercise our discretion to not consider Oleson’s claim that the trial

court erred in imposing LFOs because he did not object to the imposition of LFOs at sentencing.

Oleson also argues, and the State concedes that the trial court erred in imposing an LFO

of $100 to the Kitsap County expert witness fund without statutory authority. We accept the

State’s concession.

Accordingly, we affirm Oleson’s convictions and sentence, but remand to strike the

requirement that Oleson pay a $100 LFO to the Kitsap County expert witness fund.

FACTS

Oleson, a convicted felon, was in a relationship with Susan Christopher. At 6:12 AM on

December 31, 2013, police executed a search warrant for drugs and firearms at Christopher’s

trailer home in Bremerton. Both Oleson and Christopher were inside the trailer at the time.

Kitsap County Detectives Tim Keeler and Todd Byers noticed a plate in the dining area

that had white powder and a tube and razor on it. In the kitchen and living room, Byers found

small plastic baggies with powdery residue and four glass pipes that had burnt residue inside.

The white powder tested positive as methamphetamine.

In the master bedroom, Keeler saw a Savage .22 caliber rifle leaning on a pile of clothing.

He found magazines fitting the rifle on the bedroom dresser. He also found a Beretta 9 mm

pistol that was sticking out of a fanny pack near the foot of the bed. Inside the fanny pack was a

magazine fitting the pistol. Detective Andrew Ejde found a loaded .357 magnum in an open safe

near the bed. Near the bed was a box of various kinds of ammunition.

2 No. 46869-7-II

Also in the master bedroom Keeler found a piece of mail from the Department of Social

and Health Services addressed to Oleson showing the address of Christopher’s home. Detective

Michael Grant found a handwritten letter on the bedroom dresser addressed to “Susan and Brian”

and bearing Christopher’s address. There also was a sign on the floor near the bed that said

“Susan and Brian” in ornate lettering. Finally, Keeler found a casino card bearing Oleson’s

name.

Grant arrested Oleson, read him his Miranda2 rights, and questioned him in a patrol car

with Ejde observing. According to Ejde, Oleson told Grant that he knew he was in custody

because of the guns. Oleson said that Christopher was his girlfriend, that he had lived in her

house for two years, and that he knew he was not supposed to be around firearms as a convicted

felon.

The State charged Oleson with three counts of second degree unlawful possession of a

firearm and one count of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine). In the

information, each count of unlawful possession of a firearm used the exact same language and

none identified which specific firearm supported the count. Oleson did not request a bill of

particulars to clarify which firearm supported each count.

At trial, the State and Oleson proposed slightly different versions of jury instructions

defining possession and constructive possession. Both proposed instructions were based on

WPIC 50.03. 11 WASHINGTON PRACTICE: WASHINGTON PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS:

CRIMINAL 50.03, at 949 (3d ed. 2008). The only difference was that Oleson’s instruction

included the bracketed term “immediate” from WPIC 50.03 in the phrase “whether the defendant

2 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 444-45, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966).

3 No. 46869-7-II

had the [immediate] ability to take actual possession of the substance.” Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 9.

The trial court gave the State’s proposed instructions.

The trial court gave a reasonable doubt instruction that was identical to WPIC 4.01. The

instruction stated that “[a] reasonable doubt is one for which a reason exists” and asked the jury

to consider whether they had “an abiding belief in the truth of the charge.” CP at 52. Oleson did

not object to this instruction.

During closing argument, the State elected which firearm related to each count of

unlawful possession of a firearm. The State stated that count 1 was for the Savage .22 caliber

rifle, count 2 was for the Beretta 9 mm pistol, and count 3 was for the .357 magnum.

In his closing argument, Oleson repeatedly argued that there was a lack of evidence to

support the charges. He specifically criticized the State for not producing fingerprint evidence.

In her rebuttal argument, the prosecutor argued that obtaining fingerprints was not a real option

for investigating officers, and asked the jury to consider whether that was a meaningful lack of

evidence. She then stated that “there’s certainly things you don’t know in this case. There’s a

back-story that you don’t know.” RP (Sept. 15, 2014) at 601. Oleson objected. The trial court

sustained the objection and instructed the jury to “disregard the comment regarding a back-

story.” RP (Sept. 15, 2014) at 601.

The jury found Oleson guilty of possession of methamphetamine and two of the three

counts of second degree unlawful possession of a firearm, but found him not guilty on the

firearm count related to the .357 magnum that was in the safe. At sentencing, the trial court

imposed discretionary LFOs, including payment of $100 to the Kitsap County expert witness

fund.

4 No. 46869-7-II

Oleson appeals his convictions and sentence.

ANALYSIS

A. ADEQUACY OF THE CHARGING DOCUMENT

Oleson argues that the information was inadequate because it failed to specify which

firearm supported each charge of second degree unlawful possession of a firearm. We hold that

(1) the information was constitutionally sufficient because it alleged all the essential elements of

the offense, and (2) Oleson waived a vagueness claim by failing to request a bill of particulars at

trial.

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