State v. Williams

623 S.W.2d 121, 1981 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 376
Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee·Decided July 2, 1981·Published·Cited by 135 cases

Opinion

OPINION

WALKER, Presiding Judge.

The appellant, Billy Joe Williams, along with H. B. Myers, was indicted by the Madison County grand jury and charged in four counts with: (1) Possession of hydromor-phone with intent to sell; (2) being a second or subsequent offender, T.C.A. 52-1434; (3) selling hydromorphone; and (4) being a second or subsequent offender, T.C.A. 52-1434. Myers’ case was severed and he pled guilty prior to appellant’s September 11, 1980, bench trial.

After the trial before the judge, without the intervention of a jury, the appellant was found guilty of all four counts of the indictment and was sentenced to (1) not less *123 than eight nor more than ten years and fined $10,000; (2) not less than 16 nor more than 20 years and fined $20,000; (3) not less than 8 nor more than 10 years and fined $10,000; and (4) not less than 16 nor more than 20 years and fined $20,000. The trial judge ordered all the sentences to be served concurrently. Williams now appeals to this court.

In the first issue presented for review, the appellant attacks the sufficiency of the evidence. More specifically, the appellant contends that there was no proof that he personally was in possession of or sold hy-dromorphone and that there was no proof sufficient to establish that he was a second offender within the meaning of T.C.A. 52-1434.

The state’s proof, which the trial judge accredited, showed that on December 1, 1978, an undercover agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was approached by H. B. Myers and asked if he wanted to buy narcotics. The agent agreed and Myers called the appellant. Myers and the agent then proceeded in Myers’ car to the parking lot of the Madison South Shopping Center.

After waiting approximately 25 minutes, the appellant entered the parking lot in his Volkswagen Rabbit and parked near Myers’ vehicle. Myers received $525 from the agent and went over and entered the appellant’s car. Although the agent remained in Myers’ car throughout the transaction, he noticed that the inside light of appellant’s car was on and both Myers and the appellant were facing downward as though looking at something below the level of the car windows.

After a minute or two, Myers returned to his car and handed the agent 20 Dilaudid tablets. A scientific analysis showed that the tablets were Dilaudid which contained hydromorphone, a schedule II narcotic.

Myers testified that he called the appellant and asked the appellant to meet him at the parking lot because he was afraid that the agent might rob him if the agent thought he had the narcotics or money in his possession. Myers further testified that he had the narcotics in his pocket throughout the entire procedure and that he did not obtain the Dilaudid from the appellant. Myers was impeached by a prior inconsistent statement to the effect that he did obtain the Dilaudid from the appellant. The defendant presented no evidence.

Taking the evidence in the light most favorable to the state, we find the evidence sufficient to justify a rational trier of fact in finding appellant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of both selling and possession with intent to sell hydromorphone. Rule 13(e), T.R.A.P.; Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). As noted by the state on appeal, even if Myers’ trial testimony is believed, it establishes that appellant is guilty as an aider and abettor.

As for the proof that the appellant was a second or subsequent offender, the state introduced a certified copy of a judgment from the circuit court of Weakley County which showed that a Billy Joe Williams was convicted on August 14,1961, of “possessing narcotic drugs.” The appellant contends that a prior conviction for simple possession cannot serve as an underlying offense to establish second offender status as defined by T.C.A. 52-1434.

T.C.A. 52-1434 provides:

“(a) Any person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of the provisions of subsection (a) of sec. 52-1432 may be imprisoned for a term of twice the term otherwise authorized, or fined an amount of twice that otherwise authorized by the provisions of sec. 52-1408-52-1448.
“(b) For purposes of this section, an offense is considered a second or subsequent offense, if, prior to his conviction of the offense, the offender has at any time been convicted under sec. 52-1408-52-1448 or under any statute of the United States or of any state relating to the sale or distribution of narcotic drugs, marihuana, depressant, stimulant, or hallucinogenic drugs.’’ (emphasis supplied)

T.C.A. 52-1432(a) relates to manufacturing, delivering, selling or possessing with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell a *124 controlled substance. T.C.A. 52-1432(b) proscribes simple possession. The appellant contends that the emphasized portion of section (a) of T.C.A. 52-1434 proscribes a second or subsequent conviction of T.C.A. 52-1432(a) and that reason would dictate that to have a second offense of T.C.A. 52-1432(1) there must have been a prior conviction of T.C.A. 52-1432(a).

On the other hand, the state contends that section (b) of T.C.A. 52-1434 provides that a prior conviction sufficient to serve as an underlying conviction may be any conviction under sec. 52-1408-52-1448, which naturally includes 52-1432(b), simple possession.

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State v. Williams, 623 S.W.2d 121, 1981 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 376 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1981).

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