State v. Bowman

850 P.2d 236, 252 Kan. 883, 1993 Kan. LEXIS 57
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 16, 1993
Docket67,768
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 850 P.2d 236 (State v. Bowman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Bowman, 850 P.2d 236, 252 Kan. 883, 1993 Kan. LEXIS 57 (kan 1993).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Abbott, J.:

This is a direct appeal by the defendant, Darryl G. Bowman, from his convictions of aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery.

Bowman raises two issues on appeal. He argues the trial court erred in admitting evidence that a defense witness, Glenda Bess, with whom defendant was living, had been convicted of obstruction of legal process for attempting to smuggle bullets to Bowman while he was in jail. He also claims the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on felony theft, claiming it to be a lesser included offense of aggravated robbery.

The relevant facts are: Christopher Carson was working the graveyard shift at the Amoco station on West Crawford in Salina, Kansas, on June 15, 1991. His testimony is as follows. At approximately 6:00 a.m., he saw a two-door red car with a hatchback drive into the parking lot. Shortly thereafter, a man wearing a grayish-white shirt, black shorts, white socks, black shoes, and a black Raiders baseball cap walked inside the store. Pulling out a small caliber handgun, the man said, “This is a robbery.” He told Carson he would shoot if Carson looked around or attempted to use the telephone. Carson opened the cash register and handed over the $5, $10, and $20 bills. A subsequent audit determined $451 had been taken.

Carson said that after taking the money, the robber hurriedly left the store and entered the red car on the passenger side. Carson watched the car drive away, but could not see the driver. He then called 911 to report the robbery. Later that morning, the police showed Carson a six photograph line-up. Carson selected two photographs that looked like the robber. One of those photographs was of Bowman. At trial, Carson identified the defendant as the robber.

Bowman’s version of what transpired differs significantly. He testified that he had met Carson about a month before the robbery at Benton’s Cafe and that Carson had purchased cocaine from him on several occasions. Carson, on the other hand, testified *885 he had never seen Bowman prior to the robbery, had never been to Benton’s Cafe, and had never purchased cocaine from Bowman.

According to Bowman, on the evening before the robbery, he saw Carson at Benton’s Cafe and Carson once again purchased some cocaine. Bowman claims Carson returned a short time later, asking if Carson could have additional cocaine on credit and Bowman could stop by Carson’s place of business during his shift to pick up the money. The defendant agreed. According to the defendant, this occurred between 9:00 and 11:00 p.m. Bowman said that when he arrived at the Amoco station several hours later and asked Carson for the money, Carson opened the cash register and gave him approximately $200. The defendant acknowledged Carson had overpaid him by $75, but said it was with the understanding they would meet later at Benton’s Cafe. Bowman said he did not have a weapon and did not threaten Carson.

The defendant testified that Luella Garrett had given him a ride to the Amoco station. Garrett owned a red two-door 1986 Chevy Sprint. After leaving the Amoco station, they drove to the residence of Garrett’s brother, who wanted to buy some cocaine. Bowman sold Garrett and her brother some cocaine, but when they asked for additional cocaine on credit, he refused and left. He said he “fronted” Carson drugs, but not Garrett’s brother, because Carson had a job.

Bowman was arrested the next day, June 16, 1991, and charged with aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. After being advised of his Miranda rights, he informed the police that he had no knowledge of the armed robbery and that he would not talk with the police unless an attorney was present. According to the police, the defendant subsequently initiated a conversation and confessed that he and Garrett had-committed the armed robbery. At trial, Bowman denied making the confession..

A jury convicted Bowman of aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. The defendant was sentenced to 15 years to life for the aggravated robbery and to 1 to 5 years for conspiracy, the sentences to run consecutively. Garrett was convicted of attempted robbery and received a 2- to 7-year sentence. Bowman timely appeals his convictions.

*886 EVIDENCE OF A PRIOR CONVICTION

Bowman argues the trial court erred in admitting evidence of Glenda Bess’ prior conviction of obstructing legal process, which the defendant claims the State introduced to attack Bess’ credibility. Bess, with whom Bowman lived, testified for the defense. The police officers’ testimony of what they said Bess told them prior to Bowman’s arrest varied significantly from her trial testimony concerning what she told the police.

Detective Shaft testified Bess told him that the last time she saw Bowman before the robbery he was wearing black shorts, a black and gray shirt, black shoes, white socks, and a Raiders baseball cap (nearly the same description Carson had given); that he left her place with Luella Garrett in Garrett’s car around 3:30 a.m. on June 15; that he returned about 6:00 p.m. wearing different clothes; and that he told her the other clothes were being washed. According to Officer Plank, during the execution of the search warrant of her residence, Bess volunteered the information that Bowman’s black shorts and black shirt were being washed, but that the hat was in the bedroom.

At trial, Bess’ testimony was that Bowman left her residence around 3:00 a.m. on June 15, 1991. She was not sure if he left with Garrett. Bess testified she told the police that Bowman was wearing a blue tank top and blue shorts with red trim when she last saw him prior to the robbery. She did not know when he returned, but said he was there when she came back from her mother’s at approximately 7:30 a.m. She also testified that, if there were discrepancies between her testimony and that of the police officers, the officers were fabricating their testimony.

The State then asked Bess if Bowman appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when she saw him on June 15. Bess’ response was that she did not “know what people are like when they’re on drugs.” The State approached the bench and asked the court’s permission to inquire about the 133 grams of cocaine found in Bess’ house and about Bess “wanting to protect her boyfriend so much that she would take his shoes with the bullets in them to the sheriff’s department.”

The trial court determined that questioning Bess about the cocaine found at her house was relevant to her credibility and *887 admissible under K.S.A. 60-421. Defense counsel then argued the bullets-in-shoes incident was not relevant because it occurred after the robbery. The trial court rejected the argument, reasoning:

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

Related

State v. Smith
563 P.3d 697 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2025)
State v. Diaz
Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2024
State v. Ross
Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2024
State v. Holmes
Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2024
State v. Richmond
Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2020
State v. Akins
315 P.3d 868 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2014)
United States v. Beltran-Palafox
731 F. Supp. 2d 1126 (D. Kansas, 2010)
State v. Scott
177 P.3d 972 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2008)
Carr v. Koerner
120 F. App'x 772 (Tenth Circuit, 2005)
State v. Coburn
87 P.3d 348 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2004)
State v. Abu-Fakher
56 P.3d 166 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2002)
State v. Spurlock
52 P.3d 371 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2002)
State v. Calderon
13 P.3d 871 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2000)
State v. Perry
968 P.2d 674 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1998)
State v. Canaan
964 P.2d 681 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1998)
State v. Carr
963 P.2d 421 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1998)
State v. Moncla
936 P.2d 727 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1997)
State v. Pierce
927 P.2d 929 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1996)
State v. Crane
918 P.2d 1256 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1996)
State v. Holt
917 P.2d 1332 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
850 P.2d 236, 252 Kan. 883, 1993 Kan. LEXIS 57, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-bowman-kan-1993.