State v. LaCario

518 P.2d 982, 163 Mont. 511, 1974 Mont. LEXIS 557
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 23, 1974
Docket12395
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 518 P.2d 982 (State v. LaCario) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana 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. LaCario, 518 P.2d 982, 163 Mont. 511, 1974 Mont. LEXIS 557 (Mo. 1974).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Defendant Dominic D. LaCario was convicted of two counts-of the unlawful sale of dangerous drugs in the district court of Valley County. The two counts related to selling LSD to Bradly and Wendy Rasmussen on April 18, 1972. One count concerned a sale made at the Clansman Lounge in Glasgow, Montana, the other involved a sale made at the Rasmussen apartment, B-2 of the Lasar Apartments, in Glasgow.

Bradly Rasmussen, age 21, was an enlisted member of the United States Army and stationed in Viet Nam. His wife, *513 Wendy Rasmussen, age 19, resided in Glasgow, Montana at apartment B-2 of the Lasar Apartments. The couple had a ten month old daughter.

Bradly Rasmussen returned to Glasgow on April 3, 1972. The following evening Wendy Rasmussen told her husband that she had sexual relations with defendant LaCario and with other men while Bradly was overseas. Later that evening Bradly was introduced to defendant at the Clansman Lounge in Glasgow by Wendy. Bradly was very friendly toward defendant and invited him to the couple’s apartment for dinner. Defendant testified he accepted the invitation and while at the Rasmussen apartment Bradly told defendant he knew what had happened with his wife and that he bore defendant no ill will because of it. The Rasmussens and defendant socialized on several occasions between the date of Bradly’s return and defendant’s arrest.

On April 16, 1972, Bradly visited the Glasgow police department, twice alone and once with Wendy, and offered to cooperate with the police in providing information concerning defendant’s involvement in a burglary or in drug sales.

On April 18, 1972, at about 4:00 p.m. Bradly joined his wife and defendant at the Clansman Lounge. After giving Bradly Rasmussen an LSD tablet and a marijuana cigarette, defendant told Bradly that he could obtain approximately 50 tablets of LSD and would sell them to Bradly.

The Rasmussens left the Clansman Lounge • and went to the police station. They showed the chief of police the LSD tablet and marijuana cigarette and offered to cooperate with police in apprehending defendant while making a drug* sale.

The police accepted the offer and about 9:15 p.m. three officers came to the Rasmussens’ apartment. The Rasmussens were given $60 in' marked bills. One officer concealed himself in a closet, and two others waited in an apartment across the hall. Bradly then went to the Clansman Lounge and found defendant. When the two returned to the apartment, defendant took a *514 package containing 50 LSD tablets from his pocket and placed it on the table. Wendy gave defendant the $60 provided by the police. Defendant was offered a marijuana cigarette and took a few puffs. Police officers then entered thé room, arrested defendant and seized the evidence. 'After the arrest a photo was taken of defendant and the Rasmussens in the apartment.

On the opening day of defendant’s trial the county attorney announced that the testimony of prosecution witnesses Bradly and Wendy Rasmussen would be offered in the form of depositions “which were taken under Court Rule and I hand the Court the Affidavit of the County Attorney in compliance with the provisions of Sec. 95-1802, paragraph (e), showing that the two witnesses are in fact absent from the State of Montana, and that the absence is due to the assignment of the witness Bradly I. Rasmussen in the military service to Fort Bliss, Texas.”

Defense counsel objected contending it was very possible these two witnesses would have voluntarily appeared if requested, and defendant was entitled to have the witnesses pres-' ent. The court asked the county atomey if subpoenas had been issued for these witnesses. He replied that he had not done so and believed under the terms of the statute that he was not required to do so. The trial court then allowed the depositions to be read.

An affidavit of the clerk of the district court of Valley County was included as a part of the record on appeal by stipulation of the prosecution and defense. That affidavit states that on July 18, 1972, six days subsequent to the conclusion of the trial, Bradly and Wendy Rasmussen appeared in person in the district court of Valley County to testify in a criminal cause entitled State of Montana v. Joseph A. Stebleton, defendant.

Defendant here presents four issues on appeal:

1) Whether the district court erred in allowing the testimony of the Rasmussens to be presented by deposition?

2) Whether a marijuana cigarette and a photograph of de *515 fondant, taken at the time of his arrest were properly admitted into evidence?

3) Whether the district court erred in refusing to give defendant’s proposed instructions numbered 4 and 5 relating to entrapment and proposed instruction number 9 relating to accomplice testimony?

4) Whether the district court erred in denying defendant’s motions for a directed verdict and for a new trial?

Issue (1). The state relies upon this Court’s decision in State v. Zachmeier, 153 Mont. 64, 70, 453 P.2d 783, in support of its contentions regarding this issue. A reading of Zachmeier indicates the opposite:

“In support of his contention that defendants have a constitutional right to meet witnesses against him face to face at trial so the jury can observe their demeanor and pass upon their credibility while observing the witness on the stand, the defendant relies primarily on the cases of State v. Storm, 127 Mont. 414, 265 P.2d 971 (1953) and State v. Piveral, 127 Mont. 427, 265 P.2d 969 (1953). It is not necessary to dwell on these authorities because this trial was conducted under the new rules of criminal procedure. Section 95-1802(e), R.C.M. 1947, provides:
‘At the trial or upon any hearing, a part or all of a deposition, so far as otherwise admissible under the rules of evidence, may he used if it appears-. That the witness is dead; or that the witness is out of the state of Montana unless it appears that the absence of the witness was procured by the party offering the deposition; or that the witness is unable to attend or testify because of sickness or infirmity; or that the party offering the deposition has been unable to procure the attendance of the witness by subpoena * * *.’
< # * *
“In our opinion what the United States Supreme Court said in the above cited case [Mattox v. United States, 156 U.S. 237, 15 S.Ct. 337, 39 L.Ed. 409 (1895)] with regard to deceased *516 witnesses should also apply, with regard to any sworn testimony where the defendant has been afforded an opportunity to cross-examine the witness and

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
518 P.2d 982, 163 Mont. 511, 1974 Mont. LEXIS 557, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lacario-mont-1974.