State v. O'MEALEY

506 P.2d 99, 95 Idaho 202, 1973 Ida. LEXIS 237
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 9, 1973
Docket11097
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 506 P.2d 99 (State v. O'MEALEY) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho 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. O'MEALEY, 506 P.2d 99, 95 Idaho 202, 1973 Ida. LEXIS 237 (Idaho 1973).

Opinion

SHEPARD, Justice.

This is an appeal by the State from an order of the district court granting a motion to dismiss a criminal complaint. The court held that the defendant was wrongfully held to answer in the district court since no evidence was presented upon which the magistrate could have found *203 probable cause to believe the defendant committed the offense charged. The crime charged was unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. The sole issue for determination herein is whether the intent to. deliver a controlled substance can be inferred and presumed solely from the quantity and variety of substances found upon the defendant’s person. We affirm the action of the district court.

On July 4, 1971 a large “Rock Festival” under the guise of a religious assemblage was held at Farragut State Park. Undercover narcotic investigations at the park were conducted. During the time that the defendant was at the Park one of his companions sold an undercover agent what was represented by the seller to be a controlled substance. The substance involved in that sale turned out to be not a controlled substance, but rather common cocoa. Following the sale, the driver of the car, the Defendant O’Mealey, and two other companions left the park in an automobile. Officers followed the car for approximately six miles, then stopped it and arrested the occupants. Defendant was charged with the unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. I.C. § 37-2732.

On July 15, 1971, the defendant O’Mealey and two companions appeared at a joint preliminary hearing before a magistrate in Coeur d’Alene. The evidence adduced at the preliminary hearing indicated that there had been found on the defendant’s person, or in clothing belonging to him, the following controlled substances:

Six tablets of LSD
Thirty-eight tabs of amphetamine sulfate
0.061 grams of cocaine hydrochloride
63.23 grams (approximately 2-[4 ounces) of marijuana

At the close of the preliminary hearing the defendant moved to dismiss the complaint on the ground that the State had failed to present any evidence of his intent to deliver those controlled substances. The magistrate denied that motion on the basis that even though the State’s case was “very weak” the quantities of the controlled substances, coupled with the circumstances of the defendant’s arrest constituted probable cause to bind the defendant over for trial. I.C. § 19-804, § 19-815.

As provided and authorized in I.C. § 19-815A, ' defendant O’Mealey then renewed his motion to dismiss before the district court. The district court reviewed the evidence and granted the motion for dismissal. The district court stated:

“[Concerning the defendant, O’Mealey, the evidence is sufficient to show that he possessed various types of a controlled substance, including LSD, amphetamine sulfate, cocaine hydrochloride and marijuana. However, the only contact with O’Mealey by the State, or anyone who testified, was after the Olson automobile had been stopped. There is no testimony in the record, in any regard, of the actual constructive or attempted transfer of a controlled substance from O’Medley to any other person, no evidence of intent to do so.
“Pursuant to Idaho Code 19-815A, it is the Court’s conclusion that the Magistrate held the defendant, O’Mealey to answer without reasonable or probable cause to believe the defendant had committed the crime of ‘possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver,’ and, accordingly, the Information filed herein is dismissed.” [emphasis added]

The State seeks to appeal the order of the district court dismissing the action and relies on I.C. § 19-2804 as authority for the appeal. Defendant makes no objection to the State’s appeal and on oral argument defense counsel expressly waived any objection.

We note initially that as found by the district court there is no evidence in the record of any actual, constructive or attempted transfer of a controlled substance from O’Mealey to any other person. The State correctly points out that “the intent *204 or intention is manifested by the circumstances connected with the offense * * *” I.C. § 18-115. The State argues that the following facts are relevant in this regard:

1. The defendant’s presence at the State Park during a rock festival with another person who sold a substance which was represented to be a controlled substance but which in actuality was common cocoa.

2. The defendant’s presence in an automobile with other persons who were also charged with possession of controlled substances with the intent to deliver.

3. The defendant’s possession of a variety and quantity of controlled substances set out hereinabove.

We find no support either in logic or law for the assertion that the defendant’s presence at the time of a sale of cocoa has any bearing on his “intent” to deliver controlled substances. We likewise find no support for the assertion that the defendant’s presence in a car with companions who were charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver has any relevance to defendant’s “intent.”

The State’s appeal herein stands solely then upon the argument that the variety and quantities of substances found on the person of the defendant in and of themselves, presents sufficient evidence to satisfy a reasonable man that the defendant probably intended to deliver these substances.

The purpose of a preliminary examination before a magistrate is to determine whether a crime has been committed and whether there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed it. I.C. §§ 19-804,49-815. The standard used both in magistrates’ court and in the district court to evaluate such evidence as is presented at preliminary hearing is different than the standard used to determine whether evidence is sufficient to sustain a conviction after trial. Carey v. State, 91 Idaho 706, 709, 429 P.2d 836 (1967). This Court has stated that the standard to be used in evaluating the sufficiency of evidence presented at a preliminary hearing is:

“The state is not required to produce all of its evidence at a preliminary examination; if it produces enough to satisfy the committing magistrate that a crime has been committed and that there is reasonable or probable cause to believe the accused committed it, it is the duty of the magistrate to hold the accused for trial. The words 'reasonable or probable cause’ mean such evidence as would lead a reasonable person to believe the accused party has probably or likely committed the offense charged.” (citations omitted ; emphasis supplied)

Martinez v. State, 90 Idaho 229, 232, 409 P.2d 426, 427 (1965), cited with approval in Carey v. State, supra.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
506 P.2d 99, 95 Idaho 202, 1973 Ida. LEXIS 237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-omealey-idaho-1973.