State v. Baker

435 S.E.2d 812, 112 N.C. App. 410, 1993 N.C. App. LEXIS 1131
Court of Appeals of North Carolina·Decided November 2, 1993·No. No. 928SC259·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

JOHNSON, Judge.

Defendant Jerry Glenn Baker was indicted on 24 June 1991 in a two count bill of indictment on the charges of trafficking in cocaine by possessing at least 200 grams but less than 400 grams of cocaine and conspiring to commit the felony of possession of at least 200 grams but less than 400 grams of cocaine. A jury found defendant not guilty on the charge of trafficking in cocaine by possessing at least 200 grams but less than 400 grams of cocaine, and guilty on the charge of conspiring to commit the felony of possession of at least 200 grams but less than 400 grams of cocaine. Defendant filed notice of appeal to this Court.

Evidence presented by the State tended to show the following: Witnesses Harry Robert Gautier and Donald Ray Thompson had histories of dealing in illegal drugs; they formed a partnership in 1988 for the purpose of buying and selling cocaine, splitting [412] the profits. Thompson began dealing in drugs with defendant in early 1989 when Thompson took defendant some half ounces1 of cocaine, and defendant picked up half ounces of cocaine at Thompson’s house. Gautier met defendant in the spring of 1989 at Thompson’s house, where he told defendant that he and Thompson were partners in the cocaine business. During the course of this conversation, defendant told Gautier that he figured Gautier and Thompson were partners, and Thompson sold defendant a half ounce of cocaine. In June of 1989, Gautier delivered a half ounce of cocaine to defendant’s house.

Gautier spoke with defendant in late 1989 and told defendant that he and Thompson were no longer dealing in small amounts of cocaine and that defendant should contact Hugh Earl Stroud if he wanted small amounts of cocaine.

Gautier saw defendant at the County Line Grocery sometime in early November 1989. At that time, Gautier told defendant that Gautier would sell defendant a quarter kilogram2 of cocaine; although defendant did not have the total amount of the purchase ($8,500.00) up front, Gautier offered to front the cocaine to defendant. Later in November or early December, Gautier delivered the quarter kilogram of cocaine to defendant’s house. Defendant paid Gautier an initial $2,000.00 for this cocaine at the time it was delivered, and over a period of several dates paid the balance due to Gautier. Thompson was not present when defendant made the deal to purchase this cocaine.

In early 1990, Gautier and Thompson were arrested and charged with various drug-related offenses. Gautier and Thompson testified that they agreed to provide substantial assistance to the State in return for special consideration for their assistance at their sentencing hearing. As part of this assistance, Thompson and Gautier went to visit with defendant on 30 May 1990, at which time Thompson wore a concealed tape recorder. While at defendant’s home, Thompson, Gautier and defendant conversed concerning drug transactions, including the purchase of the quarter kilogram of cocaine which defendant made from Gautier and also concerning the possibility of defendant getting Thompson and Gautier some cocaine from Bill Moyers. Thompson and Gautier later delivered this tape to [413] Officer Jerry Best of the Wayne County Sheriffs Department, at which time Thompson and Gautier initialed and dated the tape.

At trial, Thompson and Gautier both identified the tape and listened to it, testifying that the tape was a fair and accurate recordation of the conversation they held with defendant. Bill Moyers also testified at trial for the State.

Officer Best testified the tape was the one used to record the conversation between the defendant, Thompson and Gautier. He further testified the tape had been in his exclusive care and custody from 30 May 1990 until the date of trial.

A voir dire hearing was held during which Steven G. Surratt from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation gave testimony concerning the authentication of a transcript of a tape. Surratt testified the transcript presented by the State of the taped conversation between the defendant, Thompson and Gautier was a fair and accurate rendition.

The tape was played for the jury and the jury was provided with copies of the transcript in order to follow the tape. The defendant did not introduce any evidence.

In response to defendant’s pre-trial motions for discovery of his statements in possession of the State, defendant was given a one page statement of four paragraphs. Each paragraph was a separate statement by different persons (Thompson, Gautier, and two statements by Moyers) as to statements made by the defendant or involving the presence of the defendant. During jury selection, the State gave defendant excerpts from grand jury testimony given by these witnesses as to these statements. At trial, these witnesses testified to the contents of these statements as well as other statements.

A voir dire hearing was held at trial on defendant’s request to determine whether there existed statements of defendant which had not already been provided to defendant and which should have been provided pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes § 15A-903(a)(2) (1988). The trial court found “as a matter of law . . . the District Attorney, in compliance with G. S. 15A-903(a)(2) of the North Carolina General Statutes has complied with the statute in divulging the substance of any oral statements relative to the subject matter of the case made by the defendant, regardless of to whom the statement is made.” Later in the proceeding, the [414] trial judge entertained a motion in camera by defendant for discovery of all of the statements of witnesses Gautier, Thompson and Moyers which were made to the Wayne County Grand Jury.

Defendant first argues the trial court committed prejudicial error when it denied defendant’s repeated discovery requests which were made at trial pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes § 15A-903 on the grounds that defendant, by the clear wording of the discovery statute, was entitled to the material requested.

North Carolina General Statutes § 15A-903 provides in pertinent part:

(a) Statement of Defendant. — Upon motion of a defendant, the court must order the prosecutor:
(2)To divulge, in written or recorded form, the substance of any oral statement relevant to the subject matter of the case made by the defendant, regardless of to whom the statement was made, within the possession, custody or control of the State, the existence of which is known to the prosecutor or becomes known to him prior to or during the course of trial[.]
(f) Statements of State’s Witnesses:
(2) After a witness called by the State has testified on direct examination, the court shall, on motion of the defendant, order the State to produce any statement of the witness in the possession of the State that relates to the subject matter as to which the witness has testified. If the entire contents of that statement relate to the subject matter of the testimony of the witness, the court shall order it to be delivered directly to the defendant for his examination and use.

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State v. Baker, 435 S.E.2d 812, 112 N.C. App. 410, 1993 N.C. App. LEXIS 1131 (N.C. Ct. App. 1993).

435 S.E.2d 812 (State v. Baker) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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