State of Washington v. Richard Eugene Cornwell, Jr.

Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided February 24, 2015·No. 31762-5·Unpublished

Opinion

FILED

FEB. 24, 2015

In the Office of the Clerk of Court WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, } No. 31762-5-111 } Consolidated with Respondent, ) No. 31763-3-111 )

v. } }

RICHARD EUGENE CORNWELL, JR., ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION )

Appellant. )

BROWN, A.C.J. - A jury found Richard E. Cornwell, Jr. guilty of delivery of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of a school grounds; possession of a controlled substance, heroin, with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of a school grounds; possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of a school grounds while armed with a firearm; possession of controlled substance, dihydrocodeine, with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of a school grounds while armed with a firearm; possession of a controlled substance, methadone, with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of a school grounds while armed with a firearm; use of drug paraphernalia; second degree possession of stolen property; two counts of possession of a stolen firearm; possession of an unlawful firearm, and first degree trafficking in stolen property. After the jury read its verdict, Mr. Cornwell bolted out of the courtroom. He later pleaded guilty to attempted first degree escape. Mr.

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Cornwell appealed both cases. This court consolidated his appeals. Mr. Cornwell contends (1) instructional error deprived Mr. Cornwell of his due process rights, (2) several of the offenses encompass the "same criminal conduct" for charging and sentencing purposes, (3) prosecutorial misconduct, (4) insufficient evidence to support the trafficking in stolen property and both possession of a stolen firearm convictions, and (5) ineffective assistance of counsel. In his pro se statement of additional grounds for review, Mr. Cornwell raises eight assignments of error mostly paralleling appellate counsel's arguments. Neither appellate counsel nor Mr. Cornwell, pro se. raise issues relating to the escape conviction; accordingly, we dismiss that appeal (cause no. 31762­ 5-111) as abandoned. See Mueller v. Miller, 82 Wn. App. 236, 252-53, 917 P.2d 604 (1996) (dismissal appropriate of consolidated appeal when no relief can be granted in the consolidated matter). We affirm.

FACTS

Walla Walla Police Department detectives arranged for a confidential informant (CI). who had purchased narcotics from Mr. Cornwell before, to purchase controlled substances from him again at Mr. Cornwell's home. The CI purchased $40 worth of methamphetamine while in the house. The CI observed Mr. Cornwell's garage was empty. Based on this purchase. officers obtained a search warrant for the home.

Upon searching the home three days later, detectives found heroin, methamphetamine, methadone, and dihydrocodeinone in a safe. Detectives located a short-barreled shotgun, a .270 Savage rifle, an AR-1 0 rifle and case, an antique

No. 31762-5-111 cons. wI No. 31763-3-111 State v. Cornwell

Japanese rifle, and a Winchester shotgun. Jack McCaw identified the Japanese rifle and the Winchester shotgun as items taken from his home in September 2012. Smoking pipes with drug residue were located in a dresser in the master bedroom.

Detectives observed the once empty garage was now very full with little room to walk through. In the garage, detectives located scales, plastic baggies, and a loaded syringe. Additionally, they located items reported taken in burglaries around the area, including televisions, power tools, other electronic items, several compound bows, a sword, a grandfather clock, a tool chest, and bicycles.

Detectives obtained a second search warrant for an outbuilding, finding a stolen car and other stolen property. In all, detectives seized such a large quantity of items that it took two U-Haul trucks to remove the property.

When detectives informed Mr. Cornwell they discovered drugs and stolen property, he admitted ownership of the heroin and methamphetamine found inside the house; he admitted the property was his, but that he had bought it. He denied knowing the property was stolen, but added "you can assume anything." Report of Proceedings (RP) at 324. Later, when a detective asked if Mr. Cornwell was trading drugs for the stolen items, he admitted he was and that "I just like to help people out." RP at 323.

The State charged Mr. Cornwell with delivery of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of school grounds; four counts of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances within 1,000 feet of school grounds, use of drug paraphernalia, first degree possession of stolen property, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm (Winchester

No. 31762-5-111 cons. wI No. 31763-3-111 State v. Cornwell

shotgun and Japanese rifle), possession of an unlawful firearm (short-barreled shotgun), and first degree trafficking in stolen property. On the four possession with intent to deliver charges, the information states Mr. Cornwell "did knowingly and unlawfully possess with intent to deliver. II Clerk's Papers (CP) at 52-53.

The matter proceeded to a jury trial. Defense counsel did not object to the court's jury instructions. The to-convict jury instruction relating to the four possession with intent to deliver charges state, "the defendant possessed the substance with intent to deliver." CP at 73-76.

The prosecuting attorney made the following statements during closing argument:

.... If all we had here was perhaps a couple of items, maybe the two firearms that belonged to Mr. McCaw and those were found, identified and returned to Mr. McCaw there might be some difficulty as to whether or not Mr.

Cornwell knew that those firearms were stolen, okay?

Maybe somebody gave them to him as a gift or traded for controlled substances or other property that he legitimately had, you know, maybe one could wonder whether or not he knew they were stolen.

But when you have the quantity, the mass quantity that we had here in this house, that belonged to more than a handful of victims and it was a multitude of items; a garage full, in the house, a grandfather clock and other things that would have sentimental value. The documents belonging to the Carrillo family. You know, why would Mr. Cornwell have in his residence citizen-citizenship paperwork, passport paperwork belonging to a complete stranger?

Report of Proceedings (RP) at 441-42. Later, during rebuttal, the prosecutor stated:

No. 31762-5-111 cons. wi No. 31763-3-111 State v. Cornwell

. . .. He had what we know is a lot of stolen property and he admitted to having -- knowing that some of it was stolen. He admits to buying some of that property.

You decide whether or not we have to have admission from him, a statement from him that says he knew all of that property was stolen. If you have to have that from an individual who was engaging in this activity designates consolidated cases as much as Mr. Cornwell was, if that's reasonable.

RP at 469.

The jury found Mr. Cornwell guilty as charged. The court calculated Mr.

Cornwell's offender score at nine and sentenced him to total confinement of 124 months, including sentence enhancements. He appealed.

ANALYSIS

A. Instructions

The issue is whether Mr. Cornwell was denied a fair trial under due process principles based on instructional error. He contends a discrepancy exists between the information and the to-convict jury instructions relating to the four possession with intent to deliver charges because the term, "knowingly and unlawfully possess" was included in the information but not in the jury instructions. He argues "knowingly and unlawfully possess," therefore, became essential elements of the crime.

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