State v. Almeida

2008 NMCA 068, 185 P.3d 1085, 144 N.M. 235
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 28, 2008
Docket26,567
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 2008 NMCA 068 (State v. Almeida) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Almeida, 2008 NMCA 068, 185 P.3d 1085, 144 N.M. 235 (N.M. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

OPINION

CASTILLO, Judge.

{1} Defendant appeals his convictions for possession of methamphetamine, contrary to NMSA 1978, § 30-31-23(D) (1990) (amended 2005), and for possession of drug paraphernalia, contrary to NMSA 1978, § 30-31-25.1 (2001). He argues that his two convictions violate double jeopardy. We agree, reverse the trial court, and remand with instruction to vacate the paraphernalia conviction.

I. BACKGROUND

{2} On February 7, 2005, Defendant was arrested for violating the terms of his parole. The pertinent facts follow. While patting down Defendant’s legs, the booking officer at the San Juan County Detention Center saw a baggie on the floor. The baggie was located approximately three inches from Defendant’s foot and appeared to contain contraband. The Farmington Police Department sent the baggie to be tested at the crime lab, where the substance in the baggie was identified as methamphetamine.

{3} Defendant was charged with and was ultimately convicted of one count of possession of a controlled substance, based on the methamphetamine, and one count of possession of paraphernalia, based on the baggie that held the methamphetamine. He now appeals those convictions to this Court.

II. DISCUSSION

{4} Defendant contends that his convictions for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia violate double jeopardy because the legislature did not intend to include a separate paraphernalia charge for the baggie that holds a personal drug supply. We review double jeopardy claims de novo. See State v. Bernal, 2006-NMSC-050, ¶ 6, 140 N.M. 644, 146 P.3d 289.

{5} “The New Mexico and United States Constitutions each contain a prohibition that no person be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense.” State v. Armendariz, 2006-NMSC-036, ¶ 19, 140 N.M. 182, 141 P.3d 526 (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). We engage in double jeopardy analysis in three circumstances: (1) to protect against a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal, (2) to protect against a second prosecution for the same offense after conviction, and (3) to protect against multiple punishments for the same offense. Swafford v. State, 112 N.M. 3, 7, 810 P.2d 1223, 1227 (1991). Defendant argues that his convictions amount to multiple punishments for the same offense. “Multiple punishment problems can arise from both double-description claims, in which a single act results in multiple charges under different criminal statutes, and unit-of-prosecution claims, in which an individual is convicted of multiple violations of the same criminal statute.” Bernal, 2006-NMSC-050, ¶7, 140 N.M. 644, 146 P.3d 289 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). In the present case, Defendant makes a double-description claim because he contends that he ,was charged under two different statutes for a single act, the possession of methamphetamine.

{6} To analyze double-description claims, we rely on the two-part test explained in Swafford. Bernal, 2006-NMSC-050, ¶ 9, 140 N.M. 644, 146 P.3d 289. “The first part of our inquiry asks ... whether the conduct underlying the offenses is unitary, ... [and t]he second part focuses on ... whether the legislature intended to create separately punishable offenses.” Swafford, 112 N.M. at 13, 810 P.2d at 1233. “Only if the first part of the test is answered in the affirmative, and the second in the negative, will the double jeopardy clause prohibit multiple punishment in the same trial.” Id.

A. Unitary Conduct

{7} In the present case, the State concedes that Defendant’s conduct was unitary, and we agree. Consequently, we turn to the second factor in the Swafford analysis and consider whether the legislature intended to create separately punishable offenses for the same conduct. See id. at 14, 810 P.2d at 1234 (“If it reasonably can be said that the conduct is unitary, then one must move to the second part of the inquiry.”)

B. Legislative Intent — Elements of Crimes

{8} Defendant was charged with two crimes under two separate statutes: Section 30-31-25.1(A) (making it illegal to use or possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia) and Section 30-31-23(D) (making it illegal to possess methamphetamine). Neither statute provides a clear expression of whether the legislature intended to create separately punishable offenses.

{9} When a clear expression of legislative intent is absent, Swafford directs the application of the test enunciated in Blockburger v. United States, 284 U.S. 299, 52 S.Ct. 180, 76 L.Ed. 306 (1932), in order to ascertain the legislature’s intent. Swafford, 112 N.M. at 14, 810 P.2d at 1234. “If that test establishes that one statute is subsumed within the other, the inquiry is over and the statutes are the same for double jeopardy purposes — punishment cannot be had for both.” Id. As per the Blockburger test, we first consider the elements of both statutes; “if each statute requires an element of proof not required by the other, we presume that the [{legislature intended to punish the offenses separately.” Armendariz, 2006-NMSC-036, ¶ 22, 140 N.M. 182, 141 P.3d 526.

{10} In order to convict Defendant for violating Section 30-31-25.1, possession of drug paraphernalia, the State must establish that he (1) used or possessed with intent to use the drug paraphernalia (2) to, among other things, store, contain, or conceal a controlled substance. See § 30-31-25.1(A). Possession of a controlled substance requires the State to prove that Defendant intentionally possessed a controlled substance. See Section 30-31-23(A). We arrive at the same conclusion as that of the State and Defendant; at oral argument, they agreed that each statute requires an element of proof not required by the other. The State is thus able to raise the presumption that the legislature intended to punish the offenses separately. See Armendariz, 2006-NMSC-036, ¶ 22,140 N.M. 182,141 P.3d 526.

C.Other Indicia of Legislative Intent

{11} Our inquiry does not end here, however, because the presumption is not conclusive; it may be overcome by “other indicia of legislative intent, including the language, history, and subject of the statutes, the social evils sought to be addressed by each statute, and the quantum of punishment prescribed by each statute.” Id. “If those factors reinforce the presumption of distinct, punishable offenses, then there is no violation of double jeopardy.” Id. We first turn to the language of the pertinent statutes.

1. Language in the Statutes

{12} The State relies on the plain language of the statutes and contends that this language “leaves no doubt that the legislature intended separate punishment for both the possession of a controlled substance}] and the possession of the container in which the controlled substance is ... held until it is ...

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Moncayo
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2022
State v. Word
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2020
State v. Cummings
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2019
State v. Martinez-Melgar
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2019
State v. Telles
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2019
State v. Clifford
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2018
State v. Tidey
2018 NMCA 14 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2017)
State v. Baca
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2016
State v. Duran
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2013
State v. Werkmeister
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2013
State v. Gutierrez
2012 NMCA 095 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2012)
State v. Castillo
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2011
State v. Richart
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2011
State v. Rivera
2009 NMCA 132 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2009)
McLaughlin v. State
214 P.3d 386 (Court of Appeals of Alaska, 2009)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2008 NMCA 068, 185 P.3d 1085, 144 N.M. 235, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-almeida-nmctapp-2008.