State v. McInelly

704 P.2d 291, 146 Ariz. 161, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 572
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJuly 18, 1985
Docket1 CA-CR 8135
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 704 P.2d 291 (State v. McInelly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. McInelly, 704 P.2d 291, 146 Ariz. 161, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 572 (Ark. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

HOWARD, Judge.

Appellant was arrested by a Department of Public Safety patrolman in Cordes Junction, Arizona, after the officer discovered narcotics and other illegal substances in the vehicle in which appellant and two others were traveling. Following a jury trial, appellant was convicted of possession of marijuana for sale, a class 4 felony, transportation of marijuana, a class 2 felony, and possession of an imitation controlled substance with intent to distribute, a class 6 felony. Imposition of sentence was suspended for a period of two years, and appellant was placed on probation pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-901(A).

In his first argument on appeal, appellant urges that we reverse his convictions because, although appellant was charged only as a principal, the trial court instructed the jury on the accountability of an accomplice. Appellant refers to the following instruction given by the trial court:

“ ‘In Arizona, one person can be liable under the criminal law for the conduct of another person if the first person is an accomplice of the other person in the commission of an offense. “Accomplice” is defined to mean a person who, with the intent to promote or facilitate the commission of the offense, aids, counsels, agrees to aid or attempts to aid another person in planning or committing an offense or provides means or opportunity to another person to commit the offense.’ ”

The indictment charges appellant as a principal. It does not allege that appellant committed the charged offenses as an accomplice, nor does it cite A.R.S. § 13-301 or § 13-303, from which the disputed instruction was derived. Nevertheless, appellant’s contention is without merit. There is no requirement that the indictment charge appellant as an accomplice in order to permit a jury instruction to that effect. Browning v. State, 53 Ariz. 174, 87 P.2d 112 (1939); State v. Mendibles, 25 Ariz. App. 392, 543 P.2d 1149 (1975). Under *163 Arizona law, an accused is a principal regardless of whether he directly commits the illegal act or aids or abets in its commission. Browning v. State, supra. Appellant was afforded due process through adequate notice of the charges against him. He was not entitled to notice of the precise method of proving those charges. See State v. Tison, 129 Ariz. 526, 633 P.2d 335 (1981), cert. denied 459 U.S. 882, 103 S.Ct. 180, 74 L.Ed.2d 147 (1982) (“conspiracy” instruction was proper although the defendant was not indicted for conspiracy). Appellant was convicted as charged in the indictment. We find no error.

Appellant’s second contention is that the trial court committed reversible error by refusing appellant’s proffered jury instruction on the definition of the word “transportation.” The rejected instruction stated:

“Transportation means carrying property by means of some form of conveyance from a starting point toward a destination with the intent of delivering or putting the property down at the destination." (Emphasis added.)

The thrust of the proffered instruction is that the “transportation” required for conviction must be done with a specific intent and with a definite starting point and destination or else the “transportation” is nothing more than possession. See People v. Kilborn, 7 Cal.App.3d 998, 87 Cal.Rptr. 189 (1970), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 998, 91 S.Ct. 478, 27 L.Ed.2d 449 (1971). This is not the law in Arizona. In State v. Mahoney, 106 Ariz. 297, 475 P.2d 479 (1970), 401 U.S. 917, 91 S.Ct. 898, 27 L.Ed.2d 818 (1971), the court stated:

“The defendant next contends that the state failed to prove a prima facie case of transporting marijuana as required under A.R.S. § 36-1002.07, as amended. He maintains that it was the intent of the legislature that the word ‘transport’ would indicate more than finding of [sic] marijuana in a car traveling approximately more than one mile. With this contention we cannot agree. No duty is upon the state to establish great distance or change in locality where transportation is required.” 106 Ariz. at 302, 475 P.2d at 484.

Appellant further argues that his conviction for transportation of marijuana is barred by the substantive due process clauses of the United States and Arizona constitutions because there is no rational basis for criminalizing the transportation of marijuana separately from, and more severely than, the mere possession of the drug. We agree that the rational basis test applies to this type of constitutional inquiry. See State v. Murphy, 117 Ariz. 57, 570 P.2d 1070 (1977). However, we do not agree that appellant’s conviction must be reversed.

There is a presumption that the legislature acts constitutionally, and when there is a reasonable, even though debatable, basis for the enactment of the statute, we will uphold the statute unless it is clearly unconstitutional. State v. Murphy, supra; State v. Also, 11 Ariz.App. 227, 463 P.2d 122 (1969). If the court can discover any purpose related to public health, safety or welfare which the statute could serve, we will not question the wisdom of the legislation. State v. Murphy, supra. Although Murphy dealt only with the prohibition of home use of marijuana, independent rational bases exist in the present case for the separate proscription of transportation of that same illegal substance. Transporting an intoxicating substance in the cabin area of a motor vehicle may encourage its use or consumption by the driver, which in turn could threaten the safety of those riding in the vehicle and of the public as well. In addition, the transportation of illegal substances facilitates their distribution, contrary to the state’s interest. Applying the rational basis test, we find these considerations alone to be sufficient support for the state’s enactment of the statute.

Appellant next argues that his convictions for possession of marijuana for sale and for transportation of marijuana cannot both stand because they constitute double punishment in violation of A.R.S. *164 § 13-116. We do not agree. Unlike its predecessor, former A.R.S. § 13-1641

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Bluebook (online)
704 P.2d 291, 146 Ariz. 161, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 572, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-mcinelly-arizctapp-1985.