State v. Romero

519 P.2d 1180, 86 N.M. 99
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 20, 1974
Docket1239
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 519 P.2d 1180 (State v. Romero) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Romero, 519 P.2d 1180, 86 N.M. 99 (N.M. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinion

OPINION

WOOD, Chief Judge.

Defendant appeals his conviction of trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin). Section 54-11-20 (A) (2), N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl. Vol. 8, pt. 2, Supp.1973). The issues concern: (1) jurisdiction; (2) subject and title of the statute; (3) false answer by a juror; (4) admissibility of certain evidence; (5) heroin as a narcotic drug; (6) entrapment as a matter of law; and (7) lesser included offense.

Jurisdiction.

Defendant asserts that a natural person is not included within the definition of “person” set forth in § 54-11-2 (R), N. M.S.A.1953 (Repl.Vol. 8, pt. 2, Supp. 1973). On this basis he asserts the trial court had no jurisdiction. This point was decided adverse to defendant’s contention in State v. McHorse, 85 N.M. 753, 517 P. 2d 75 (Ct.App.1973).

Subject and title of the statute.

Defendant claims the trial court erred in denying his motion to dismiss the indictment on the ground that the statute, of which § 54-11-20 (A) (2), supra, is a part, violates the requirements of N.M.Const., Art. IV, § 16. The statute is Laws 1972, ch. 84. There are two points to this contention ; both are without merit.

The title reads:

“An Act Relating To Drugs; Defining Controlled Substances And Dangerous Drugs; Providing For Administration ; Providing Penalties; Amending And Repealing Certain Sections; And Declaring An Emergency.”

The first point relies on the constitutional provision which states that “no bill embracing more than one subject shall be passed.” Defendant claims that the statute involved embraces more than one subject. For example, he asserts that the statute is concerned with “drugs” and with “cosmetics.” He contends that cosmetics and drugs are two subjects. We do not agree. Portions of the statute amend sections of New Mexico’s Drug and Cosmetic Act, but changes made by the amendments are concerned with drugs. Various sections within Laws 1972, ch. 84 amend other laws, but the amendments are concerned with drugs.

“Subject” in the constitutional provision “is to be given a broad and extended meaning so as to authorize the legislature to include in one act all matters having a logical or natural connection.” Silver City Consol. Sch. Dist. No. 1 v. Board of Regents, 75 N.M. 106, 401 P.2d 95 (1965). If the details within the body of the legislative act are “relative directly, or indirectly, to the main subject, having a mutual connection, and not foreign to the main subject, or so long as the provisions are of the some [sic] nature and come legitimately under one general denomination or subject, the act cannot be held unconstitutional.” State v. Ingalls, 18 N.M. 211, 135 P. 1177 (1913).

Under the above quoted meaning of “subject,” Laws 1972, ch. 84 'does not contain more than one subject.

The second point of the. title contention involves § 54-11-20, supra. This section is concerned with trafficking in controlled substances. Defendant claims that “trafficking” is not included in the title of the statute.

City of Albuquerque v. Garcia, 84 N.M. 776, 508 P.2d 585 (1973) states that the title need not set forth the details of an enactment; however, statutory details must be germane or related to the subject matter expressed in the title. The prohibition on trafficking is a detail germane to drugs, their-'administration and penalties. There is no constitutional violation.

False answer by juror.

After the jury had been selected and sworn, defendant raised the possibility that one of the jurors may have responded inaccurately or untruthfully to a question asked of the entire jury panel during voir dire. The asserted question went to whether any of the panel had ever been a military policeman. According to defendant, he subsequently learned that one of the jurors, in another case, had stated he had been a military policeman. Also, according to defendant, the juror made no response when the question was addressed to the panel in this case.

The prospective juror has a duty to make full and truthful answers to questions that are asked. Mares v. State, 83 N.M. 225, 490 P.2d 667 (1971). On this record, we cannot say this duty was violated. The questions to and answers of the prospective jurors were not recorded. Defendant admitted to the trial court that he was uncertain as to the exact language of his question. In addition, all we have is counsel’s assertion as to the juror’s failure to respond to the question. The record is not established by statements of counsel. State v. Maes, 81 N.M. 550, 469 P.2d 529 (Ct.App.1970). There is no basis for holding that the juror failed to respond fully and truthfully to an asserted question not supported by the record.

Defendant’s contention is not based on the alleged question and the alleged lack of response by the juror. Defendant’s claim is that he raised the possibility of an inaccurate response to the trial court and having raised that possibility, the trial court erred in failing to inquire further into that possibility. Defendant asserts the lack of inquiry by the trial court denied him the right to an impartial jury.

Defendant never asked the trial court to inquire further. Once the possibility of an inaccurate response was raised, the prosecutor stated he had no objection to the trial court questioning the juror. Defendant’s position in the trial court was that because the possibility of an inaccurate response existed, the juror “cannot serve as a fair and impartial juror.” That possibility provided no factual basis for discharge of the juror.

The issue, then, is limited to the question of whether the trial court erred in failing to make an inquiry that defendant did not ask it to make. Since a request for an inquiry was never presented to the trial court, the error claimed is being raised for the first time on appeal. Accordingly it will not be decided. See State v. Lopez, 84 N.M. 402, 503 P.2d 1180 (Ct.App.1972).

Admissibility of Evidence

Three items of evidence are contested.

The first item is Exhibit 1A. This exhibit was a plastic bag containing nine tin foil packets. The contents of the packets were identified as heroin. Defendant asserts the chain of custody was not established and that Exhibit 1A was improperly admitted. The contention is based on the fact that Investigator Lino Martinez testified he delivered the exhibit to Investigator Freddie Martinez. Freddie denied that he received Exhibit 1A from Lino; rather, he testified that he received, and delivered to the court Exhibit 1. The evidence is that Exhibit 1, delivered by Lino to Freddie, was a manila envelope. This manila envelope was opened during the trial. It contained Exhibit 1A.

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Bluebook (online)
519 P.2d 1180, 86 N.M. 99, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-romero-nmctapp-1974.