State v. Collins

528 P.2d 829, 111 Ariz. 303, 1974 Ariz. LEXIS 422
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 29, 1974
Docket2838
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 528 P.2d 829 (State v. Collins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Collins, 528 P.2d 829, 111 Ariz. 303, 1974 Ariz. LEXIS 422 (Ark. 1974).

Opinion

HOLOHAN, Justice.

Eddie Jay Collins was tried and convicted after a trial by jury of the crimes of armed robbery, A.R.S. §§ 13-641 and 13-643, and felony-murder, A.R.S. §§ 13-451, 13^-52 and 13-453. The defendant was sentenced to a term of 40 to 50 years for the armed robbery and to life imprisonment for the murder. A timely appeal was filed raising the following issues:

1. Was it error to admit testimony that tended to show that defendant was a drug addict ?

2. Did the trial court err in failing to instruct the jury that it must find separately that defendant committed each crime charged in the indictment ?

3. Did the trial court err in refusing to instruct the jury that the U. S. and Arizona Constitutions give each citizen the privilege to own and bear arms ?

4. Did the . trial court err in instructing the jury that it was no defense that one or more persons not on trial might have participated in the crime charged ?

5. Did. sentencing for both felony-murder and robbery constitute double punishment?

6. Was defendant’s sentence excessive?

The facts, taken in a light most- favorable to sustain the verdict, State v. Jacobs, 110 Ariz. 151, 515 P.2d 1171 (1973), are as follows:

Terry Brentwood Young was killed by a shot from a gun fired by John Lee Collins, the defendant’s younger brother. The defendant and John Lee Collins were in an apartment in .Tucson when the victim and his wife arrived to purchase heroin from Dwana Jones. After the purchase, the victim and his wife walked out to their car which was in the parking lot. The defendant and his brother followed and an argu *305 ment took place between the victim, the defendant, and his brother. There was testimony that the defendant and his brother both said “Give me the dope.” When the victim was hit by the defendant, the victim’s wife stuck her arm • out the window of the car and handed the defendant the packet of heroin. A few seconds later the fatal shot was fired by defendant’s brother, John Collins.

It is defendant’s first contention that statements made by the prosecution and testimony of a witness, both of which tended to show that defendant was a heroin addict, were prejudicial. The prosecutor, during the voir dire, asked the jury if they would be prejudiced against the defendant, if it were shown that he was at one time addicted to heroin. Dwana Jones, the person who sold heroin to the victim and his wife, testified, over defendant’s objection, that the defendant regularly used heroin.

We have held many times that evidence of prior bad acts of a defendant is generally inadmissible. State v. Petralia, Jr., 110 Ariz. 530, 521 P.2d 617 (1974); State v. Tostado, Ariz., 523 P.2d 795 (1974). However, evidence of another offense which tends to prove a motive for the present offense is admissible. State v. Schmid, 109 Ariz. 349, 509 P.2d 619 (1973); State v. Kelly, Ariz., 526 P.2d 720 (1974). In this case we believe defendant’s addiction to the use of heroin was relevant to his motive for the theft of the drug from the victim. Defendant argues that the testimony of Dwana Jones is inconsistent with a motive of robbery. It is pointed out that Dwana Jones testified that she had sold the defendant heroin the same day and when asked if she would have sold or given him more if he had asked for it, she responded :

“A Yes. I would have sold it to him; give it to him too.
“Q In the past you have given it to him “A Yes.
“Q —when he didn’t have money.

However the defendant testified that he was addicted to the use of heroin. He stated that he had never asked Dwana to give him drugs but she gave them to him because she was stealing them from her father. He also testified, that his addiction required about $200 worth of drugs a day and that he had only used $40 worth at the time of the shooting. Defendant had no regular employment and said that when he wanted something he stole it. He did testify that the one paper of heroin the victim had would mean nothing to him.

The testimony and statement objected to was relevant to establish motive. There was nothing in- the evidence showing that defendant had access to all the heroin he needed to support his habit. Proof of a motive will not be excluded merely because another crime is brought to the attention of the jury. The testimony and statement objected to had a bearing-on defendant’s motive and were not prejudicial.

Another exception to the general rule is that evidence of another offense, misconduct or prior bad acts is admissible to prove the- complete story of the crime even though- there is revealed other prejudicial facts, such as the defendant has committed other criminal offenses or misconduct. State v. Villavicencio, 95 Ariz. 199, 388 P.2d 245 (1964); State v. Hutton, 109 Ariz. 356, 509 P.2d 626 (1973); State v. Evans, 110 Ariz. 380, 519 P.2d 182 (1974); State v. Tostado, supra. To eliminate appellant’s use of heroin from the evidence would deprive the jury of the complete story of all of the surrounding circumstances. In light of the foregoing, we find the- admission of evidence as to defendant’s heroin addiction and the prosecution’s statement were not error.

Defendant’s next contention is that the ■ trial court erred in failing to give a requested instruction that the jury must find separately that defendant committed each crime charged in the indictment.

Defendant was charged with murder in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-451, 13-452 and. 13-453, and robbery in violation of A.R.S. *306 §§ 13-641 and 13-643. The trial court refused to give the following instruction requested by defendant:

“Each count set forth in the Indictment charges a separate and different offense. You must consider the evidence applicable to each alleged offense as thougn it were the only accusation before you for consideration, and you must state your finding as to each count in a separate verdict, uninfluenced by the mere fact that your verdict as to any other count or counts is in favor of, or against the defendant. The defendant may be convicted or acquitted upon any or all of the offenses charged, depending upon the evidence and weight you give to it, under the court’s instructions.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
528 P.2d 829, 111 Ariz. 303, 1974 Ariz. LEXIS 422, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-collins-ariz-1974.