Sterns v. State

862 S.W.2d 687, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2379, 1993 WL 316495
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 23, 1993
Docket12-91-00179-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 862 S.W.2d 687 (Sterns v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sterns v. State, 862 S.W.2d 687, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2379, 1993 WL 316495 (Tex. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

HOLCOMB, Justice.

Appellant was convicted by a jury for delivery of a controlled substance (cocaine). Appellant elected to have his punishment fixed by the trial judge who found the enhancement paragraph to be true, and fixed punishment at 45 years confinement. We will affirm.

In his first point of error, Appellant contends that the evidence of his guilt was based solely on the testimony of a single witness which was so internally inconsistent and improbable that it was without probative value, and tended to, and did, deprive Appellant of a fair trial. Appellant contends that because of this inconsistent and improbable testimony, he was deprived of a fair trial as guaranteed by the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and under Article 1, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution. Appellant cites no authority to connect in any way the portions of the constitutional provisions he claims were violated. Nothing was presented showing how he was harmed. We therefore find he has waived any constitutional claims under Rule 50(d) of the Texas Rules of Appellate PROCEDURE. Appellant did not raise as a point of error insufficiency of the *689 evidence, however, we will review the evidence advanced at trial in view of the nature of Appellant’s claims of error.

The Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division (“DPS”) was involved in suppression of the crack cocaine trade in Nacogdoches, Texas. The DPS had employed Kathy Lewis during several past cases to make purchases of cocaine. On October 2, 1990, Lewis met with investigator Ricky Allen who used her to attempt to make a “buy.” Allen gave Lewis a tape recorder which, upon leaving Allen, was started immediately. Prior to leaving, Lewis and her pick-up truck were thoroughly searched to negate the possibility that she had any cocaine on her person or the truck when she left. Lewis was told to purchase only from someone she knew. Lewis drove to a corner store in Nacogdoches that she was familiar with and asked several individuals “hanging out” there if they knew where “Weenie Man” could be found. They stated they did not know. She then drove in another area known for crack trafficking and was flagged down by an individual she knew as Vincent Russaw, who approached the driver’s side and asked her what she wanted. Lewis replied “to buy a rock at twenty.” Lewis testified that Russaw immediately went to Appellant, who drew something from his pocket and placed it in Russaw’s hand. Russaw then walked directly to Lewis and gave her what later turned out to be a “rock” of crack cocaine. In return, Lewis handed Russaw $20.00. Russaw then returned directly to Appellant and handed it to him. Lewis identified Appellant at trial as the person who had given Russaw the rock and received the money. She further testified she previously knew Appellant by face and by name. Lewis then drove to the DPS office in Nacogdoches and gave the rock and the tape recording to Allen. Lewis testified that she had received $50.00 from the State for her work in the case. Lewis identified State’s Exhibit No. 2 as the recording she made of the transaction relating to Appellant on October 2, 1990. Lewis identified the voices on the tape as those belonging to herself, Ricky Allen, Vincent Russaw, and the guys hanging around the store. Lewis also testified that she knew Russaw sold cocaine because she had previously observed him selling “rocks” of crack cocaine.

Ricky Allen testified to having provided Lewis with the twenty dollars and a tape recorder. Allen also testified to searching her truck and her person. Allen said he followed Lewis in another car and observed Lewis talking to someone at the store, and also observed her when she was making the transaction with Russaw, although he could not identify any of the people involved. Allen further testified concerning custody of the tape recording and the rock which was eventually turned over to a DPS chemist who identified it as cocaine.

On cross-examination, Appellant was able to establish that Lewis had, in the past, a bad drug habit which required her to be hospitalized at Rusk State Hospital several years before, and admitted while working for DPS, she had fallen off the wagon once by using some cocaine, however, she stated she has been clean for sometime. Lewis admitted she was not going to Alcoholics Anonymous or any other self-help group. Appellant’s wife, Patricia Faye Sterns, testified that Appellant did not habitually “hang out” on the street in which the transaction took place. Sterns stated Appellant had relatives who were as large as Appellant, and one who had a mustache like Appellant. One of these relatives lived on Chandler Street which is near Orton Street, the location of the “buy.” Appellant was also able to show through cross-examination of the State’s chemist that the rock in question was smaller than those usually encountered, and smaller than the submission report described.

Appellant argues that Lewis never actually saw the rock in Appellant’s hand, but only that Russaw went to Appellant and a gesture was made suggestive of passing an object; nor did she see the money she paid Russaw actually being given to Appellant, but only that Russaw walked over and handed him something from the same hand. Appellant also points out a variance in testimony concerning the search of Lewis prior to leaving Allen’s control. Allen testified that he reached in her pockets. Lewis testified that she pulled them inside out for him.

*690 However, it is elemental that it is the duty of the trier of fact to resolve any conflict in testimony and the degree of weight they wish to give to certain testimony, and decide on the credibility of the witnesses; they may believe or disbelieve all or any part of any witness’ testimony. Williams v. State, 692 S.W.2d 671 (Tex.Cr.App.1984); Darden v. State, 629 S.W.2d 46 (Tex.Cr.App.1982); Harville v. State, 591 S.W.2d 864 (Tex.Cr. App.1979).

After viewing Lewis’ testimony as brought out in direct and cross-examination, we do not find that it is internally inconsistent, nor improbable. In reviewing evidence questions on appeal, circumstantial and direct evidence are reviewed alike. The relevant standard is set forth in Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979), to-wit: “whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” Id. However, we find that when all of the testimony and the tape recordings are taken in their totality, a rational jury could have found the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Point of error number one is overruled.

In point of error number two, Appellant claims the court erred in refusing to allow the defense to properly impeach a prosecution witness as to her history which he states would demonstrate bias and a motive for testifying in an untrue manner.

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Bluebook (online)
862 S.W.2d 687, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2379, 1993 WL 316495, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sterns-v-state-texapp-1993.