State Of Washington v. Danny Ray Potts

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJanuary 3, 2019
Docket49926-6
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Danny Ray Potts (State Of Washington v. Danny Ray Potts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Of Washington v. Danny Ray Potts, (Wash. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

January 3, 2019

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 49926-6-II

Respondent,

v.

DANNY RAY POTTS, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant.

MELNICK, J. — Danny Ray Potts appeals his convictions for possession of

methamphetamine and heroin with intent to deliver and possession of MDMA (ecstasy) and

benzodiazepine. He contends that the search warrant in this case was stale and not supported by

probable cause and that the police executing the warrant violated the knock and announce rule.

He also contends that he received ineffective assistance of counsel, evidence was insufficient that

he intended to deliver methamphetamine or heroin, and the trial court erred by admitting an

untested substance into evidence.1 We reject all of Potts’s arguments and affirm his convictions.

1 Potts also asks us to waive appellate costs. Pursuant to RAP 14.2, we will defer to the commissioner if the State files a cost bill and Potts objects. 49926-6-II

FACTS

I. SEARCH AND ARREST

On November 12, 2015, Longview police executed a search warrant for drugs at Potts’s

residence. Detective Seth Libbey knocked on the door and then shouted three times, “Longview

police, search warrant.” 1 Report of Proceedings (RP) at 45. He heard movement inside the

residence, but did not get a response to his announcements. About fifteen seconds after the initial

announcement, Sergeant Mark Langlois ordered Detective Brian Durbin to use a battering ram on

the door. After three unsuccessful strikes with the ram, Potts opened the door and the police

entered the residence. Potts, who stood several feet from the front door, never heard a knock or

an announcement until after the third hit with the ram. Potts’s nephew was also in the home at the

time of the search. He estimated about a minute elapsed between when officers first shouted and

when they entered the residence.

In their search of the residence, police found three bags in the toilet bowl. One bag

contained methamphetamine and one contained heroin. The third bag contained two smaller bags,

at least one of which contained methamphetamine.

Police also found a scale with white crystal residue, numerous small plastic bags, and $150

cash in Potts’s bedroom. They found another $450 cash on Potts’s person. Also in the bedroom,

they found an ecstasy pill and a benzodiazepine pill.

Potts told the detectives that “anything found in here is mine.” 3 RP at 428. A detective

testified that Potts also said the police “must have deliveries on him to be there in the first place.”

2 RP at 250. Potts denied admitting to drug trafficking or delivering.

2 49926-6-II

Potts and his girlfriend both testified that all the drugs in the house were for their personal

use and they preferred to buy infrequently in large quantities. Potts’s girlfriend had tried to flush

down the toilet an ounce of methamphetamine and two ounces of heroin when she heard the police

coming.

A. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT

To obtain the search warrant, Libbey executed an affidavit on November 6, 2015. Libbey

stated that he had been contacted by a confidential informant (CI) he identified as X and that X

had informed him that he or she had seen methamphetamine at Potts’s residence. Libbey stated

that X had used drugs in the past, including heroin and methamphetamine, and was familiar with

illicit drugs and their packaging as well as how drug transactions were arranged and completed.

X had additionally performed one “controlled buy” previously in which X had purchased a

controlled substance working for Longview police and had provided information for two previous

successful search warrants.

In the seventy-two hours prior to Libbey executing the affidavit, X went to Potts’s

residence at the direction of Longview police. In the residence, X observed approximately one

quarter of an ounce of methamphetamine in a plastic Ziploc bag under Potts’s control. Potts

indicated to X that the substance in the bag was methamphetamine. X also observed a pipe that

contained methamphetamine residue.

Pursuant to the affidavit, a judge authorized a warrant to search Potts’s residence and

person for methamphetamine and various other drug paraphernalia. Six days later, officers

executed the warrant.

3 49926-6-II

II. CRIMINAL CHARGES AND TRIAL

The State charged Potts with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent

to deliver, one for methamphetamine and one for heroin, and two counts of possession of a

controlled substance, one for ecstasy and one for benzodiazepine.

Potts moved to suppress all contraband evidence seized during the search of his residence.

He argued that the police violated the knock and announce rule and that the warrant was stale. The

trial court concluded that the police properly knocked and announced their presence and that the

warrant was not stale because it was executed within ten days of issuance.

In November 2016, the case proceeded to a jury trial. During the trial, John Dunn, a

forensic scientist from the Washington State Patrol testified that he tested and weighed the contents

of many of the bags police seized from Potts’s residence.

The court admitted into evidence four exhibits consisting of the substances Dunn tested.

Potts objected to the admission of the bag seized from Potts’s toilet that contained the two smaller

bags. He argued that Dunn had weighed and tested the contents of only one of the two smaller

bags.

Dunn testified that both bags contained “a crystalline material” and that the bag he tested

contained 13.6 grams of methamphetamine. 3 RP at 390. He did not testify about the contents or

weight of the untested bag, but the court overruled the objection and admitted it into evidence as

a part of the same exhibit. The trial court observed that the two bags were both found within one

larger bag and were “of similar size” and “similar makeup.” 3 RP at 376. The court ruled that it

4 49926-6-II

would be up to the jury to decide if the substance in the untested bag was also methamphetamine.

Potts’s girlfriend testified that she had tried to flush down the toilet three bags containing

methamphetamine and heroin. She confirmed she had three bags containing an ounce of

methamphetamine and two ounces of heroin and that she had tried to flush them.

The jury found Potts guilty on all counts. Potts appeals.

ANALYSIS

I. PROBABLE CAUSE FOR SEARCH WARRANT

Potts contends that the search warrant affidavit did not establish probable cause. He claims

that the affidavit failed to establish both the basis of knowledge and the veracity of the CI. He also

contends that he received ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel did not raise

this issue before the trial court. We disagree.

The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and article I, section 22 of the

Washington State Constitution guarantee the right to effective assistance of counsel. Strickland v.

Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 685-86, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d. 674 (1984); State v. Grier, 171

Wn.2d 17, 32, 246 P.3d 1260 (2011).

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