State v. Armijo

558 P.2d 1151, 90 N.M. 12
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 14, 1976
Docket2532
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 558 P.2d 1151 (State v. Armijo) 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. Armijo, 558 P.2d 1151, 90 N.M. 12 (N.M. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

OPINION

WOOD, Chief Judge.

The fourteen-count indictment charged defendant with various heroin offenses. He was convicted of three of the counts and apparently acquitted of two of the counts at a trial in January, 1976. The appeal of the three convictions, State v. Armijo, (Ct.App.) No. 2440, was dismissed by memorandum decision March 16, 1976. This appeal involves defendant’s conviction of the remaining nine counts in April, 1976. The issues are: (1) sufficiency of the evidence, (2) evidence of acts and declarations of a co-conspirator, (3) aiding and abetting, and (4) double jeopardy.

Sufficiency of the Evidence

The heroin offenses involved in this appeal are based on the activities of Lincoln Blea. The offenses were trafficking, either by distribution of heroin or possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Section 54-11-20, N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl. Vol. 8, pt. 2, Supp.1975). Defendant’s conviction of these offenses was based on a theory of derivative liability; that Lincoln Blea’s offenses were committed in furtherance of a conspiracy of which defendant was a member. See State v. Armijo, 90 N.M. 10, 558 P.2d 1149 (Ct.App.) decided December 14, 1976.

Lincoln Blea’s offenses occurred from March 18 through March 28, 1975. The State alleged that defendant and Lincoln Blea conspired to traffic in heroin between March 18 and April 9, 1975. Defendant recognizes that the State proved a conspiracy existed on April 9, 1975 but asserts the evidence is insufficient to show an existing conspiracy during the time covered by Lincoln Blea’s offenses — March 18 through March 28. We disagree.

On March 9, 1975 a state agent telephoned “Jacob” at defendant’s unlisted telephone number. The voice answering the telephone call was recognized by the agent to be the voice of defendant. The agent informed defendant that Diane Blea had been arrested for a parole violation and asked defendant if he could do anything to help her out. Defendant said he could not help Diane. The agent stated that he had been purchasing his supply of heroin from Diane and this source had been interrupted because Diane was in jail. See State v. Armijo, 89 N.M. 90, 558 P.2d 1149 (Ct.App.) supra. The agent asked defendant “if I could meet him and so I could purchase heroin from him. ... He then told me that he didn’t know me and I once again told him, I asked him, hadn’t Diana [sic] Blea told him who I was, that I had been purchasing heroin from him through her and he said, yes, but I don’t know you. I then told him to check with several people to verify that I was okay to sell heroin to and I named several people.”

The agent gave defendant a list of names, incfuding that of Lincoln Blea, and told defendant to check “that it was okay for him to sell heroin to me.” Defendant said “ C will do that,’ ” and then hung up. Defendant voiced no objections to what the agent wanted to do. Shortly after this telephone conversation, defendant’s unlisted number was changed. The agent knew this before he met with Lincoln Blea.

The agent went to Lincoln Blea’s house about 9:50 p. m. on March 18,1975 where he observed Lincoln Blea cutting heroin and selling 50 caps to “Willie”. At 10:05 p. m. that night, the agent purchased heroin from Lincoln Blea. The agent also made purchases from Lincoln Blea, at his home, on March 19, 21 and 28, 1975. During the course of these transactions the agent importuned Lincoln Blea to introduce the agent to defendant. “[T]he only hesitation there, was whether or not Jacob could see us together at least twice before attempting introduction.”

Subsequently, defendant was given opportunity to view the agent and a transaction was arranged for a $6,000 sale. This prearranged sale occurred on April 9, 1975; defendant supplied the heroin which Lincoln Blea sold to the agent.

In the agent’s dealings at Lincoln Blea’s house, the agent never saw any paraphernalia for using heroin and the indications from Lincoln Blea were that he was not a user.

Common design is the essence of a conspiracy. “A mutually implied understanding is sufficient so far as combination or confederacy is concerned, and the agreement is generally a matter of inference deduced from the facts and circumstances, and from the acts of the person accused done in pursuance of an apparent criminal purpose.” State v. Deaton, 74 N.M. 87, 390 P.2d 966 (1964).

The circumstances of the telephone call, the dealings with Lincoln Blea thereafter, the absence of paraphernalia and indications of use on Lincoln Blea’s part, Lincoln Blea’s willingness to introduce the agent to defendant, the arrangements for defendant to view the agent and the April 9th transaction were substantial* evidence of a conspiracy between defendant and Lincoln Blea to traffic in heroin during the March 18 to March 28 time period.

A second contention under this issue involves the distribution of 50 caps of heroin to “Willie”. One of the defendants named in the indictment was Willie Baca who was alleged to be a co-conspirator. Since defendant’s convictions are based on a theory of conspiracy, defendant asserts that his guilt requires a conclusion of mutual agency and accountability, and his guilt in connection with the 50-cap sale is necessarily predicated on a theory of distribution to himself. Defendant asserts this is not a crime. On this basis, defendant asserts there is no evidence to support conviction for the count involving the 50-cap sale.

We do not reach the merits of this contention. The evidence shows a sale of 50 caps to Willie, but there is nothing indicating that Willie was the defendant Willie Baca. In addition, there is nothing showing that Willie Baca was in fact a co-conspirator. The record does not support this second contention.

Evidence of Acts and Declarations of a Co-Conspira tor

Defendant asserts that acts and declarations of Lincoln Blea concerning defendant were improperly admitted. Defendant states that “[ajdmission of acts of a co-conspirator, or his declarations, is permissible only upon proof of a prima facie case of conspiracy.” He contends that admission of the facts and declarations of Lincoln Blea before prima facie evidence of a conspiracy was error.

The cases cited by defendant refer only to prima facie proof of the conspiracy before statements of a co-conspirator are admissible. United States v. Olivia, 497 F.2d 130 (5th Cir. 1974); United States v. Spanos, 462 F.2d 1012 (9th Cir. 1972). New Mexico decisions, however, refer to acts as well as statements of a co-conspirator. See State v. Orfanakis, 22 N.M. 107, 159 P. 674 (1916); Territory v. Neatherlin, 13 N.M. 491, 85 P. 1044 (1906); Compare, State v. Farris, 81 N.M. 589, 470 P.2d 561 (Ct.App.1970). We do not seek to reconcile the decisions or determine the extent of the New Mexico rule. Rather, we assume the rule applies to acts and declarations of a co-conspirator.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
558 P.2d 1151, 90 N.M. 12, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-armijo-nmctapp-1976.