Stidham v. State

1972 OK CR 333, 503 P.2d 905, 1972 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 711
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 22, 1972
DocketNo. A-17507
StatusPublished

This text of 1972 OK CR 333 (Stidham v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stidham v. State, 1972 OK CR 333, 503 P.2d 905, 1972 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 711 (Okla. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

OPINION

BUSSEY, Presiding Judge:

Appellant, Andrew Jackson Stidham, Jr., hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court of Oklahoma County for the offense of Burglary in the Second Degree, After Former Conviction of a Felony. His punishment was fixed at sixty (60) years imprisonment, and from said judgment and sentence, a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

At the trial, Thomas W. Fowler testified that on November 3, 1971 he resided at 3716 Corbett Drive in Del City. He left home at approximately 6:00 a.m. and was called at the job at about 3:20 p.m. He checked the house and found that the back door from the garage, which had previously been locked, had been pried open with a screwdriver or knife. A half gallon bottle full of pennies, assorted old coins, two Ten Dollar bills, two Two Dollar bills, two One Dollar bills and a radio were missing from the house. His wife was a coin collector and. he had the serial numbers from the missing bills. He was called to the police station that evening, whereupon he observed the missing property.

Betty Holland testified that on the afternoon in question, she lived across the street from Mr. Fowler. About 2:30 p.m. the defendant came to her door and rang the door bell. She looked through a peep hole in the door and did not open the door. She looked out her front bedroom window and observed the defendant walk across the street, go up to Mr. Fowler’s house and apparently ring the door bell. He then went to the next house on the east of Fowler’s house and rang their door bell. The defendant attempted to lift their garage door, but was unable to raise it. The defendant then put on a pair of gloves and went back behind the Fowler house. At this point, she called the Del City Police Department. She next saw the defendant come out of the Fowler’s front door with his arms “full of things.” One of the items she could see clearly was some type of radio. The defendant placed the items in a car which was parked in front of the house next door to her. He then walked back across the street and the police arrived.

Officer Burgett, of the Del City Police Department, testified that at approximately 2:30 p.m. on November 3, 1971, he was dispatched to the 3700 block of Corbett Drive to investigate a possible burglary in progress. He observed the defendant walking in a westerly direction on the sidewalk in front of 3716 Corbett Drive. He stopped the defendant and asked him if he could help him. The defendant advised him that he was looking for a residence where a person by the name of Clark was living. The officer had a telephone directory in [907]*907his unit and checked Corbett Street to see if anyone named Clark lived on that street. At this time, he received another radio call from headquarters concerning the defendant. He took the defendant across the street to the Holland residence and asked the lady if the defendant was the person that came out of the residence. He and the defendant then went back to the Fowler residence and he rang the door bell. When no one responded, the officer tried the doorknob and the door opened. He searched the defendant and found a knife and screwdriver on his person. He placed the defendant in the patrol unit and advised him of his constitutional rights. He asked the defendant where his vehicle was and the defendant pointed out a 1964 Chevrolet parked directly across the street. The officer looked into the vehicle and observed a bottle of pennies and a radio in the back seat.

Lieutenant Huff, of the Del City Police Department, testified that he investigated the burglary of the Fowler residence. He subsequently had a conversation with the defendant at the police department. He advised the defendant of his constitutional rights and asked the defendant if he had committed any other crimes in Del City. The defendant replied, “No, this was the only crime that I have committed in your town.” He obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s vehicle and, upon searching the same, found the items previously identified by Mr. Fowler.

The former convictions were stipulated by the parties. The defendant did not testify nor was any evidence offered in his behalf.

The first proposition asserts that “it was error and cause for a mistrial and a violation of due process for the trial judge not to investigate to the fullest possible extent the reported drinking of one of the jurors.” The record reflects that after the jury had been sworn but prior to the presentation of any evidence, the following transpired:

“THE COURT: All right. Make your record.
“MR. BRITTON: Comes now the defendant Andrew Jackson Stidham and moves the Court for a mistrial.
“MR. GROVE: We would ask the Court to stay with this Jury by and for the reason it is insufficient grounds based upon what little there is before the Court at this time and we will stand by the Court’s decision.
“THE COURT: Let the record show I have made a complete voir dire of this Jury. I asked lengthy questions and I observed the Jurors as they went to the box and I observed them as to their answers given to the questions by not only the Court but by the other attorneys.
“I also have observed this man in the hall after the report of this Juror, Mrs. Dotts, was made to this Court stating that Mr. Henderson, she smelled liquor on his breath. I feel this Juror may have had a drink of beer or some intoxicant the nature of which I do not know, but he gave every outward appearance of being sober not only in answering the questions but in his demeanor, his walk and talk in answering the questions and I feel that unless there is further evidence I do not feel there is sufficient facts to justify the discharge of this Juror after they have been sworn to try this case.
“MR. BRITTON: Comes now the defendant and moves for a mistrial and the basis for said motion as the Court has already stated one of the Jurors after they had been empaneled and sworn advised the Court that L. B. Henderson was drinking.
“THE COURT: No, no. Smelled alcohol on his breath.
“MR. BRITTON: Smelled alcohol on his breath to such an extent that she felt compelled to talk to the Court.
[908]*908“THE COURT: Well, no. She didn’t make any statement as to such extent that she felt compelled to call it to the attention of the Court. She merely stated that she did smell alcohol on his breath. Now that is what she said.
“Now, what do you want to do ?
“MR. GROVE: I suggest, Your Honor, we proceed in this trial. No grounds for a mistrial has been shown. And it is a mere statement of a Juror that she smelled what she believed to be alcohol breath on a co-juror. I do not believe that is sufficient to constitute grounds for a mistrial. I ask the Court if we do proceed in this case that the Court advise Mrs. Dotts outside of the presence of the other Jurors if the situation becomes worse or if she observes anything unusual to notify the Court.
“THE COURT: I am not going to advise anyone of that type that way.
“Let the record show that all of this proceedings has been conducted out of the presence of the Jury and in the presence of the defendant and his Attorney Mr. Britton and the District Attorney Mr. Grove.

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Related

Roberts v. State
1970 OK CR 102 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1970)
Laudermilk v. State
1972 OK CR 54 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1972)
Butler v. State
1968 OK CR 107 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1968)
Cox v. State
1955 OK CR 54 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1955)
Allen v. State
1917 OK CR 100 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1917)
Bilton v. Territory
1909 OK CR 12 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1909)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1972 OK CR 333, 503 P.2d 905, 1972 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 711, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stidham-v-state-oklacrimapp-1972.