State v. Tibbs

772 S.W.2d 834, 1989 Mo. App. LEXIS 641, 1989 WL 48569
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 10, 1989
DocketNo. 15661
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 772 S.W.2d 834 (State v. Tibbs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri 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. Tibbs, 772 S.W.2d 834, 1989 Mo. App. LEXIS 641, 1989 WL 48569 (Mo. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

CROW, Presiding Judge,

A jury found appellant guilty of (1) the class D felony of unlawful use of a weapon, § 571.030.1(1), RSMo 1986, in that he knowingly carried a .38 revolver concealed upon or about his person, and (2) the class D felony of resisting arrest, § 575.150.1(1), RSMo 1986. The jury assessed punishment on the weapon charge at one year’s imprisonment and a fine in an amount to be determined by the court; the jury assessed punishment on the resisting arrest charge at one year’s imprisonment. The trial court imposed the terms of imprisonment assessed by the jury, ordering that they run consecutively, and assessed a $1,000 fine on the weapon charge.

Appellant presents three points on appeal: (1) the trial court erred in failing to direct a verdict of not guilty on the weapon charge in that the revolver was not concealed and there was no evidence from which the jury could find that the revolver was not discernible by ordinary observation, (2) the information on the resisting arrest charge was defective in failing to plead with particularity the facts relied on by the State to establish that appellant threatened violence or physical force, hence the trial court failed to acquire jurisdiction over said charge, and (3) there was insufficient evidence from which a jury could find that appellant knew he was being arrested and that the person attempting to effect the arrest was a police officer and was in fact making an arrest, and there was no evidence that appellant used violence or physical force.

In determining the sufficiency of the evidence to support the verdicts we view the evidence and all inferences reasonably to be drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the verdicts, and disregard all contrary evidence and inferences. State v. Guinan, 665 S.W.2d 325, 327 (Mo. banc 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 873, 105 S.Ct. 227, 83 L.Ed.2d 156 (1984); State v. McDonald, 661 S.W.2d 497, 500[1] (Mo. banc 1983), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1009, 105 S.Ct. 1875, 85 L.Ed.2d 168 (1985). The test is whether the evidence, so viewed, was sufficient to make a submissible case from which rational jurors could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant was guilty. State v. Bonuchi, 636 S.W.2d 338, 340 (Mo. banc 1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1211, 103 S.Ct. 1206, 75 L.Ed.2d 446 (1983); Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 324, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2791-92, 61 L.Ed.2d 560, 576-77 (1979).

[836]*836So viewed the evidence establishes that on May 19, 1987, one Frank Miller, a resident of Springfield and a business acquaintance of appellant, was — unknown to appellant — assisting officers of the Narcotics Violation Investigative Unit of the Springfield Police Department. That evening Miller phoned appellant at the latter’s home in De Soto about purchasing marihuana. Appellant agreed to deliver marihuana to Miller.

Appellant started to Springfield the next day driving a 1987 Chrysler LeBaron turbo-coupe carrying a brown paper grocery sack containing “several bags” of marihuana, two sets of scales, and “rolling papers.” On the outskirts of Springfield appellant concealed the sack in some weeds by a road sign on an access ramp at the intersection of highways 60 and 65. Appellant then proceeded to Miller’s place of business and talked to him about the sale.

Miller, unbeknownst to appellant, thereafter phoned detective Steve Ijames, a member of the Narcotics Violation Investigative Unit, informing Ijames that appellant was in town and had three pounds of marihuana for sale. Arrangements were ultimately made for a meeting between Ijames and appellant.

The rendezvous was to take place at 11:00 p.m., at an apartment complex at 1438 East Elm. The sergeant in charge of Ijames’ unit arranged for officers in “undercover” vehicles to keep Ijames and appellant under surveillance. Ijames was driven to the meeting site by his sergeant, arriving “around eleven o’clock.” Ijames’ testimony:

“Q How were you dressed?
A As I recall, I had blue jeans and a black, long-sleeved T-shirt.
Q How about your hair?
A My hair was considerably longer and I had a beard, and I believe I had an earring.”

Ijames waited alone a few moments in front of the apartment complex. Then two automobiles arrived: appellant’s Chrysler driven by appellant, the lone occupant, and a Cadillac driven by Miller, the lone occupant. Miller exited the Cadillac, and he and Ijames walked to the Chrysler, stopping at the driver’s door. Through the open window Ijames and appellant discussed the price ($1,600 per pound), Ijames complaining it was too high and appellant insisting the marihuana was excellent. The conversation also concerned “how the buy would go down.”

Appellant handed Ijames a “roach,” described by Ijames as a “very small marijuana cigarette,” which Ijames lit and passed back and forth with Miller. After further discussion “about how we were going to do the deal,” appellant told Ijames to get in appellant’s car. Asked what occurred next, Ijames responded:

“I walked around the passenger side, opened the door and sat down in the front seat of the vehicle, and Mr. Miller followed me around. I leaned forward to lift the back seat area and let Mr. Miller get in and the car pulled away from the curb.
Q Did Mr. Miller get in the car?
A He did not.”

Appellant’s vehicle proceeded east followed by Miller in his Cadillac, then turned south. Eventually, at Ijames’ request, appellant stopped at a package liquor store. Asked the purpose of the stop, Ijames testified:

“Basically, I wanted to buy time to make sure a surveillance car was — it’s not possible to look over my shoulder and see if the other officers were there.
I knew if I could get out of the vehicle for a moment, I knew I could recognize the surveillance vehicles.
[[Image here]]
There were about seven other policemen that were following me ... in different types of non-police looking vehicles.. ..”

Ijames, upon seeing one of the surveillance detectives, went in the store, purchased a “pack of beer,” and reentered appellant’s automobile. Appellant then drove south and ultimately “left the city limits.” Ijames’ testimony:

[837]*837“Q What conversation are you having as you are driving along out south of the city?
A We had a pretty lengthy conversation concerning whether or not I was a police officer or a cop or nark, was the terminology he was using, and made numerous statements about how he was concerned about the deal and didn’t know me and I didn’t know him and that he had come a long way down here and hadn’t planned on doing the deal with somebody he didn’t know....”

Ijames told appellant he (Ijames) was not a police officer.

Appellant turned north on the access ramp to highway 65, stopped at the road sign, opened the door, and pulled the bag of marihuana out of the weeds.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
772 S.W.2d 834, 1989 Mo. App. LEXIS 641, 1989 WL 48569, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-tibbs-moctapp-1989.