State v. Fisher

874 P.2d 1381, 74 Wash. App. 804
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJuly 21, 1994
Docket29498-9-I
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 874 P.2d 1381 (State v. Fisher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Fisher, 874 P.2d 1381, 74 Wash. App. 804 (Wash. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinions

Pekelis, A.C.J.

Michael Fisher (Fisher) appeals multiple issues arising from his convictions and sentence for delivery of cocaine and for possession with intent to deliver cocaine.

On March 14, 1991, Officer Michael Alphin (Alphin) and his partner, Seattle police officers and Anti-Crime Team (ACT) members, were participants in an undercover drug [807]*807buy/bust operation. Dressed in plain clothes and driving an unmarked vehicle, the officers were acting as drug buyers.

As they drove through the Columbia City area of Seattle, they encountered Larry Williams (Williams), who was walking down the street, and inquired about making a drug buy. Williams responded that he had a friend who sold drugs. Williams and Alphin met up with Williams’ friend, Alonzo King (King), whom they informed of their desire to purchase cocaine. King then went into a nearby apartment building. Upon returning, King told Alphin and Williams that $40 worth of cocaine was available for sale inside. Alphin and Williams agreed that they would each purchase $20 worth of cocaine.

Alphin and Williams then followed King to a unit in the apartment building where they found Fisher and his girlfriend, Stonya Connor (Connor), lying together on a couch. As they entered the apartment through an open door, Fisher and Connor sat up. According to Alphin, Fisher then told Connor to go ahead and sell to them. Fisher denied making this statement. At that point, Connor opened her hand, revealing two small rocks of cocaine. Alphin purchased the larger rock from Connor with a marked $20 bill. After inspecting the smaller rock, Williams decided against purchasing it. According to Alphin, as he was leaving, he asked Fisher if he could come back to make another purchase later. Fisher replied affirmatively, stating that there would be more drugs later. Fisher denied making this statement.

When Alphin returned to the car, his partner signaled the arresting officers that a successful drug buy had been made. Approximately 30 seconds later, the arresting officers, who had not obtained an arrest or a search warrant, arrived at the apartment and found the door open. The officers entered with guns drawn and yelled: "[P]olice, you are under arrest”. Connor and Fisher were then arrested and Miranda1 warnings given. When Connor was questioned as to the whereabouts of the buy money, she responded that it was in her [808]*808bra. Fisher and Connor were then transported to the precinct where Connor was searched. The search revealed $80, which included the buy money, and a film canister containing one rock of cocaine. No drugs were found on Fisher.

Fisher was charged by amended information with two counts pursuant to RCW 69.50.401(a)(1) — as an accomplice to delivery of a controlled substance (count 1) and as an accomplice to possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance (count 2). A school zone enhancement was added for each count.

The first trial resulted in a mistrial because the jury deadlocked. During the pretrial motions for the second trial, Judge Huggins stated that she would abide by the pretrial rulings issued in the first trial. Accordingly, the judge ruled that Fisher’s prior felony violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (VUCSA) conviction would be allowed for impeachment, stating:

I would leave it to the discretion of the defense to decide whether to name the felony or not, but I think the court’s ruling that a prior felony conviction can come into evidence will stand.

The next day the prosecutor asked for clarification about the evidentiary limitations placed on Fisher’s prior conviction. Without objection, the court stood by "its original ruling that the felony will not be named”, but stated that the punishment imposed for the VUCSA conviction would be allowed into evidence.

At trial, Alphin testified extensively about his training involving drugs and drug transactions. Specifically, Alphin testified that he had attended a 10-day ACT training focusing on narcotics, in addition to having attended three Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) schools. As a member of the south precinct ACT team, Alphin testified about his familiarity with street-level narcotics operations. In addition, he stated that he had participated in more than 150 buy/bust operations.

Without objection, Alphin testified as to the significance of Fisher’s statement to Connor to go ahead and sell drugs to [809]*809Alphin, stating: "It indicated to me that he was involved in the transaction or he was the one running the show.” Alphin then testified that this was something he was trained to look for during buy/bust operations.

Fisher also testified at trial. On direct examination, he testified that he had been convicted of a felony for which he was incarcerated, but did not name the felony. On cross examination, the prosecutor did not inquire about Fisher’s prior felony conviction. Fisher admitted to using cocaine, but denied ever selling drugs. He testified that he did not know that Connor sold drugs prior to the sale to Alphin. He further testified that had he known of the drugs in Connor’s possession the day of the arrest, he probably would have tried to use them himself. Fisher denied ever selling drugs or discussing drugs with Alphin.

Robin Bussoletti, a forensic scientist at the Washington State Crime Lab, testified that both rocks involved in the case were cocaine.

Fisher was convicted as charged. At sentencing, the court rejected Fisher’s argument that the two counts involved the same criminal conduct. Fisher received a 65-month standard range sentence for each count to be served concurrently.

Fisher appeals.

I

Warrantless Entry to Arrest In Dwelling

As an initial matter, we reject Fisher’s contention that he be allowed to challenge for the first time on appeal the warrantless entry into a dwelling to arrest because it is a "manifest error affecting a constitutional right”. RAP 2.5(a)(3).

Although admission of evidence obtained in violation of the federal or state constitution is an error of constitutional magnitude, the failure to move for suppression of such evidence constitutes a waiver of the right to have it suppressed. State v. Mierz, 72 Wn. App. 783, 789, 866 P.2d 65 (1994); State v. Tarica, 59 Wn. App. 368, 373, 798 P.2d 296 (1990).

Accordingly, by failing to seek suppression of the evidence found on Connor following the warrantless entry to arrest, [810]*810Fisher waived the right to have it suppressed as having been obtained in violation of article 1, section 7 of the Washington Constitution.2

Fisher alternatively contends that counsel was ineifective in failing to bring a pretrial motion to suppress.3 In deciding this issue, we follow the analysis set forth in Tarica, 59 Wn. App. at 373-78, in which this court addressed whether the failure to move for suppression of illegally obtained evidence constituted ineifective assistance of counsel.

To prevail on an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the defendant must satisfy two elements. Tarica, 59 Wn. App. at 373-74 (citing Strickland v.

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Bluebook (online)
874 P.2d 1381, 74 Wash. App. 804, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fisher-washctapp-1994.