State Of Washington, V Jonathan Levi Dunn

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 12, 2015
Docket44572-7
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington, V Jonathan Levi Dunn (State Of Washington, V Jonathan Levi Dunn) 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 Jonathan Levi Dunn, (Wash. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

FILED COURT OF APPEAL S_ DI °VISION IT 2015 MAY 12 AM 8: 41

STA OF / ASH ETON 3y

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II

STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 44572 -7 -II

Respondent,

v.

JONATHAN LEVI DUNN, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant.

JOHANSON, C. J. — Jonathan Levi Dunn appeals his jury trial convictions for two counts

of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, each with school bus route

stop and firearm sentencing enhancements; two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled

substance; one count of unlawful possession of less than 40 grams of marijuana; and one count of

first degree unlawful possession of a.firearm. He argues that the evidence was insufficient to prove

the firearm sentencing enhancements and that the trial court violated his right to a public trial by

taking peremptory challenges in writing. In a statement of additional grounds for review (SAG), 1

he further argues ( 1) the two firearm sentencing enhancements subjected him to double jeopardy,

2) the jury was .prejudiced because it saw him in shackles, ( 3) the evidence was insufficient to

prove the school bus route stop sentencing enhancements because he had no way of knowing he

1 RAP 10. 10. No. 44572 -7 -II

was within a protected zone, and ( 4) he received ineffective assistance on various grounds. We

hold that the evidence was sufficient to support the firearm sentencing enhancements and that there

was no public trial violation. We further hold that his SAG issues either have no merit or cannot

be addressed. Accordingly, we affirm.

FACTS

I. BACKGROUND

On August 5, 2012, Longview Police Officers Zachary Ripp and Chris Trevino were on

patrol when they observed Dunn drive by and turn into an alley. Aware that Dunn' s driver' s

license was suspended, the officers followed Dunn, turned on their flashing lights and siren, and

eventually stopped Dunn. The truck stopped approximately 661 feet from a school bus route stop.

After Dunn got out of his car, the officers arrested him for driving with a suspended license.

During a search of Dunn' s person, Officer Ripp found $3, 940 in cash in one of Dunn' s pockets.

During a subsequent search of Dunn' s truck pursuant to a search warrant, the officers found several

diazepam and alprazolam pills in the truck' s glove box. The officers also found a backpack behind

the seat and to the driver' s right. The backpack was visible and within reach from the driver' s

seat. Officer Ripp later testified that the backpack was in a location where the driver could have

reached it or grabbed items out of it.

In the backpack' s main compartment, Officer Ripp found 38. 1 grams of heroin, 27. 1 grams

of methamphetamine, 1. 4 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and other drug paraphernalia. In the

smaller front pouch, Officer Ripp found a loaded . 380 handgun. Officer Ripp " rendered it safe"

by removing the loaded magazine and the bullet in the chamber. Report of Proceedings ( RP) ( Jan.

8, 2013) ( Trial) at 58.

2 No. 44572 -7 -II

II. PROCEDURE

The State charged Dunn with (1) unlawful possession of heroin with intent to deliver (count

I), unlawful possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver (count II), unlawful possession

of diazepam ( count III), unlawful possession of alprazolam ( count IV), unlawful possession of 40

grams or less of marijuana (count V), and first degree unlawful possession of a firearm (count VI).2

The State also alleged firearm sentencing enhancements and school bus route stop sentencing

enhancements for counts I and II.

Dunn pleaded not guilty. During jury selection, counsel exercised their peremptory

challenges in a sidebar.

The State' s witnesses testified as described above. Dunn presented an unwitting possession

defense. David Allen Holmes admitted that he owned the items the officers found in the backpack

and testified that Dunn had given hint ride on the day of the arrest and allowed him (Holmes) to

use the backpack because his pockets were full.

While discussing the unwitting possession defense jury instruction, defense counsel argued

that the instruction applied to the possession with intent to deliver charges because one of the

elements was possession of the controlled substance. The State responded that this was essentially

a request for a lesser included instruction on counts I and II because the possession with intent to

deliver essentially already required a mens rea for the possession element. Defense counsel

responded that the unwitting possession defense applied to all the drug charges. But defense

counsel also asserted that even if the jury were to find Dunn knew the drugs were there, there was

2 The State also charged Dunn with third degree driving while license suspended or revoked (count VII), but that charge was dismissed without prejudice before trial.

3 No. 44572 -7 -II

insufficient evidence of intent to distribute. The trial court agreed with the State. Defense counsel

expressly stated he was not requesting a lesser included instruction.

After the jury reached its verdict, but before the jury delivered the verdict, the trial court

advised the parties that some of the jurors may have inadvertently seen Dunn in shackles because

a bailiff had partially opened the jury room door as Dunn was passing by. The trial court stated

that because the verdict had been reached, it was " not concerned" about this event. RP ( Jan. 10,

2013) at 4.

The jury found Dunn guilty as charged. The jury also found that he was armed with a

firearm and within 1, 000 feet of a school bus route stop when he committed counts I and II. The

trial court imposed 72 -month firearm enhancements and 24 -month school bus route stop

enhancements on counts I and II.

Dunn appeals his convictions and his sentencing enhancements.

ANALYSIS

I. SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE: FIREARM SENTENCING ENHANCEMENTS

Dunn first argues that the State failed to present sufficient evidence to establish the two

firearm sentencing enhancements. Specifically, he argues that the State failed to prove that the

gun was ( 1) easily and readily accessible or (2) operable. We disagree.

A. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review sufficiency of the evidence claims for whether, when viewing the evidence in

the light most favorable to the State, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential

elements of the charged crime beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Salinas, 119 Wn.2d 192, 201,

4 No. 44572 -7 -II

829 P. 2d 1068 ( 1992). A sufficiency challenge admits the truth of the State' s evidence and all

reasonable inferences drawn from it. Salinas, 119 Wn.2d at 201.

The trier of fact makes credibility determinations, which we will not review. State v.

Thomas, 150 Wn.2d 821, 874, 83 P. 3d 970 ( 2004). And we defer to the trier of fact on issues of

conflicting testimony and the persuasiveness of evidence. Thomas, 150 Wn.2d at 874 -75.

B. EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND READILY AVAILABLE

We first address whether there was sufficient evidence to establish that the firearm was

easily accessible and readily available. We hold that it was.

A person is armed with a deadly weapon if it is easily accessible and readily available for

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