State v. Overmann

220 N.W.2d 914, 1974 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 1113
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedAugust 28, 1974
Docket1-56582
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 220 N.W.2d 914 (State v. Overmann) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Overmann, 220 N.W.2d 914, 1974 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 1113 (iowa 1974).

Opinion

*916 RAWLINGS, Justice.

Defendant Richard Joseph Overmann appeals from judgment entered on jury-verdict finding him guilty of delivering a schedule I controlled substance (Lysergic Diethylamide) in violation of Senate File 1, Section 401, as amended by Senate File 468, Acts of the Sixty-Fourth General Assembly. We affirm.

The event from which this charge stems involves the sale in Davenport of 50 LSD tablets by defendant to Michael G. Ernst, an Illinois Bureau of Investigation Special Agent.

Trial testimony is, in large part, undisputed.

April 5, 1972, Ernst and Joe Waterman, the latter then working as an ad hoc paid informer, discussed a proposed purchase of drugs from defendant. In Ernst’s presence Waterman then placed a call to defendant from the Sheriff’s office in Rock Island, Illinois. Their conversation centered upon the desired purchase by Waterman of some LSD tablets. Subsequently, Ernst and Waterman drove to Overmann’s apartment in Davenport.

After some preliminary discussion as to price, Ernst there bought from Overmann 50. tablets of LSD for which he was paid $100 by Ernst and Waterman.

Defendant testified, about three weeks prior to the aforesaid transaction he purchased 100 LSD pills from Waterman for which the latter was paid $100. Defendant further testimonially stated that in course of the above noted telephone call Waterman sounded desparate and said something to the effect “you got to give me back my dope”.

On rebuttal Ernst denied any statement was made by Waterman to defendant during the phone call to the effect Waterman wanted to buy back the “dope” previously sold by him to defendant. Ernst conceded it was possible the same drugs instantly purchased from Overmann could at one time have been sold to him by Waterman.

Defendant’s motion for a directed verdict, as made at close of all evidence, was overruled. This motion was foundationed upon the claim that the record affirmatively disclosed defendant had been entrapped as a matter of law.

Defendant thereafter unsuccessfully submitted a related requested instruction. Objections interposed by him to instructions given were also overruled. No new trial motion was ever filed.

Counsel for defendant on this appeal, not having served as trial attorney, urges a reversal because (1) trial court erroneously instructed the jury regarding entrapment; (2) there was an intolerable degree of governmental participation in the criminal enterprise here involved; and (3) instruction 5 was misleading.

These assignments will not be entertained in the order presented.

I. First considered is defendant’s claim regarding intolerable governmental participation in the criminal enterprise here involved.

More specifically, it is contended trial court erred in overruling defendant’s motion for a directed verdict predicated upon what is, as aforesaid, sometimes denominated “entrapment as a matter of law”. This terminology is to us, in part, misleading. Therefore we shall, when appropriate, here refer to it as a “take-back entrapment”.

Illustratively, Overmann contends he received LSD from Waterman, a government informer, and resold the same contraband to Ernst, a government agent then working in concert with Waterman. It is thus evident defendant does not invoke the usual entrapment defense.

In support of his position defendant cites: United States v. Bueno, 447 F.2d 903, 905-906 (5th Cir. 1971); United States v. Mahoney, 355 F.Supp. 418, 423, 426-427 (E.D.La.1973); United States v. Chisum, 312 F.Supp. 1307, 1312 (C.D.Cal. *917 1970); State v. McKinney, 108 Ariz. 436, 501 P.2d 378, 381 (1972); People v. Strong, 21 Ill.2d 320, 172 N.E.2d 765, 768 (1961); State v. Sainz, 84 N.M. 259, 501 P.2d 1247, 1249 (1972); Lynn v. State, 505 P.2d 1337, 1342 (Okl.Cr.App.1973). See also United States v. Oquendo, 490 F.2d 161, 162-164 (5th Cir.1974); United States v. Hayes, 477 F.2d 868, 872-873 (10th Cir. 1973); United States v. Rodriguez, 474 F.2d 587, 589 (5th Cir. 1973); United States v. Dillet, 265 F.Supp. 980 (S.D.N.Y.1966); United States v. Silva, 180 F.Supp. 557 (S.D.N.Y.1959); State v. Boccelli, 105 Ariz. 495, 467 P.2d 740 (1970); People v. Dollen, 53 Ill.2d 280, 290 N.E.2d 879, 881-882 (1972); People v. Carmichael, 80 Ill.App.2d 293, 225 N.E.2d 458 (1967); State v. Weinzerl, 495 S.W.2d 137, 140-142 (Mo.Ct.App.1973).

Under the theory espoused in Oquendo and Bueno, both supra, if an accused produces evidence disclosing (1) the government, through an agent or informer, supplied drugs to defendant, and (2) the government, through an agent or informer, later reappropriates any of those drugs from the accused, then a “take-hack entrapment” is shown. Under those circumstances the State must come forth with evidence which contradicts either of the above two elements. In event the State fails to so do then an accused is entitled to a dismissal as a matter of law. If, however, the State does produce evidence sufficient to create a fact issue as to a “take-back entrapment” the case should be accordingly submitted to the jury. See United States v. Oquendo, 490 F.2d at 164; United States v. Bueno, 447 F.2d at 906.

On the issue at hand defendant, as previously stated, testified (1) he bought 100 LSD pills from informer Waterman for $100 about three weeks prior to the sale upon which he now stands charged; (2) he received a desperate sounding phone call from Waterman who then offered to buy back the drugs previously sold to defendant; (3) in course of that call Waterman stated something like “you got to give me back my dope”; (4) upon arrival at defendant’s apartment Waterman negotiated with defendant, finally offering $2 per tab; and (5) as a result thereof defendant resold 50 tabs of the same LSD for $100 to Michael Ernst, the Illinois special agent.

Carolyn Gray, testifying for defendant, stated that after a visit by Waterman to the apartment occupied by her and defendant some three weeks prior to time of the sal.e here involved, she observed a packet containing orange tabs in a bedroom where defendant and Waterman had previously visited.

On the other hand Officer Ernst testified he was present when Waterman called defendant to arrange the instantly involved purchase and there was then no discussion as to a “buy-back” of the same LSD which had been previously sold by Waterman to defendant.

Furthermore, the evidence discloses defendant (1) had other customers to whom he could sell LSD; (2) was using “two or three” tabs each day during the three week interval after his purchase from Waterman; (3) within that time frequently gave LSD to his friends; and (4) had “just lost a large quantity of drugs to another individual who had stolen them”.

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Bluebook (online)
220 N.W.2d 914, 1974 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 1113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-overmann-iowa-1974.