Timmie Bradley v. State of Indiana

44 N.E.3d 7, 2015 Ind. App. LEXIS 631, 2015 WL 5438394
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 16, 2015
Docket49A05-1404-CR-181
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 44 N.E.3d 7 (Timmie Bradley v. State of Indiana) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Timmie Bradley v. State of Indiana, 44 N.E.3d 7, 2015 Ind. App. LEXIS 631, 2015 WL 5438394 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

BRADFORD, Judge.

Case Summary

[1] In December of 2012, the Indiánap-olis Metropolitan Police Department (“IMPD”) received an anonymous complaint alleging that drug- dealing was occurring at a home in Indianapolis. Detectives with the IMPD placed the home in question under surveillance. After conducting surveillance on a number of occasions, the detectives approached the home, identified themselves, and requested permission to enter the home. After being granted consensual entry into the home, the detectives became concerned for them safety and conducted a protective sweep of the kitchen and an adjacent bedroom. During this protective sweep, the detectives observed a very small amount of cocaine and drug paraphernalia in plain sight in the kitchen. The occupants of the home were brought into the living room of the home. Because the occupants’ arms were not restrained, the detectives looked under couch cushions before allowing the occupants to sit on the couch. A handgun was discovered under the cushions.

[2] A short time later, Appellant-Defendant Timmie Bradley used a key to let himself into the home. Bradley, who had his hand in his left pocket, did not comply with the detectives’ orders to remove his hand from his pocket. Bradley was subsequently searched because of the detectives’ concern for their safety after observing drug paraphernalia and a handgun in the home. The-detectives found approximately thirty grams of cocaine and a large amount . of United . States currency on Bradley’s person. .

[3] Appellee-Plaintiff the State- of Indiana • subsequently charged Bradley with numerous offenses, including Class A felony dealing in cocaine, Class C felony possession of cocaine and a firearm, Class C felony possession of cocaine, and Class A *13 misdemeanor possession of. marijuana. Following a bench trial, the trial court found Bradley guilty of each of the above-stated offenses. The trial court sentenced Bradley to an aggregate thirty-five-year term of incarceration.

[4] -On appeal, Bradley- contends that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting' certain evidence at trial; his convictions for Class C felony possession of cocaine and a firearm and Class C felony possession of cocaine violate the prohibí-, tions against double jeopardy; .and the evidence is insufficient to sustain his. convictions for Class A felony possession of cocaine, Class C felony possession of cocaine and a firearm, and Class A misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Upon review, we conclude that (1) the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the challenged evidence at trial, (2) Bradley’s convictions for Class C felony possession of cocaine and a handgun and Class C felony possession of coeaine violated the prohibitions against double jeopardy and therefore must be vacated, (3) the evidence is sufficient to sustain Bradley’s conviction for Class A felony .possession. of cocaine, and (4) the evidence is insufficient to sustain Bradley’s conviction for Class A misdemeanor possession of marijuana. We therefore affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand to the trial court with instructions.

Facts and Procedural History

[5] In December of 2012, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Detective Scott Campbell received an anonymous complaint alleging that drug dealing was occurring at a home located at 2207, North, Alabama Street. Between, receiving the anonymous complaint and January 14, 2013, Detective Campbell and Detective Simmea McCoy conducted surveillance at the home on three or four occasions. On one such occasion, Detectives Campbell and McCoy observed, within a short period of time, heavy foot traffic in and out of the home with the visitors “going inside, staying for [a] very short amount of time and leaving.” Tr. p. 37. In their experience as law enforcement officers, Detectives Campbell and .McCoy knew that such activity was indicative of the sale of drugs.

[6] On another occasion, Detectives Campbell- and McCoy observed' Bradley drive a blue pickup truck to the home, approach the home, and enter it. That same : day, .Detectives Campbell and McCoy observed another individual, who was subsequently .identified as Bryant Beatty, drive-a blue minivan to the home, approach the home, and enter it. A search for the identity of the lessor of the home was unsuccessful.

[7] On the afternoon of January 15, 2013, Detectives Campbell and McCoy, along with Detective Tracy Lomax (collectively, “the Detectives”), conducted surveillance at the home. At. approximately 3:00 p.m., the Detectives observed Beatty pull up at the home in a blue minivan. This was the second time Detectives Campbell and McCoy had observed Beatty arrive at the home driving the blue minivan during the course of their investigation. The Detectives further observed Beatty approach the home. Beatty knocked on the front door and, soon thereafter, someone inside the home opened the door to allow him to enter.

[8] , After watching Beatty enter the home, the Detectives, all of whom were wearing plain clothes but were wearing lanyards with their police badges displayed and possibly, police vests, decided to conduct a “knock and talk.” Tr. p. 103. When the Detectives approached the home, Detective Campbell immediately detected the odor, of burnt marijuana coming from the home. With Detective Lomax standing at the far end of the porch and *14 Detective Campbell standing nearby, Detective McCoy knocked on the front door. When Beatty opened the front door a short time later, Detectives McCoy and Lomax also detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the home.

[9] After Beatty opened the front door, Detective McCoy identified himself and Detectives Campbell and Lomax and explained that they had come to the home because of a narcotics complaint. Detective McCoy requested permission for himself and Detectives Campbell and Lomax to step inside the home and speak with Beatty. Beatty responded yes and stepped to the side to allow the Detectives to enter the home. ' ■

[10] Upon entering the home, the Detectives were standing in "a living room. They observed a closed bedroom door with music coming from inside the bedroom. Detective McCoy asked Beatty if there was anyone else in the home. Beatty responded that there was not.

[11] Within seconds of Beatty iiidicat-ing that there was no one else in the home, the Detectives observed a black male “peak [sic]” his head around the kitchen corner. Tr. p. 152. The black male retreated after seeing the Detectives! Because the Detectives could not see into the kitchen, Detective McCoy ordered the individual in the kitchen to come into the living room. The individual did not comply with Detective McCoy’s order.

[12] After the individual in the kitchen failed to comply with Detective McCoy’s order, Detectives McCoy and Lomax, out of concern for their and Detective Campbell’s safety, conducted a protective sweep of the kitchen. While in the kitchen, Detectives McCoy and Lomax observed several items sitting on a counter in plain view: a set of digital scales,- a “very small amount of cocaine,” a glass jar with white residue on the bottom, and baking soda which can be used as a cutting agent. Tr. p. 181. ‘Also while in the kitchen, Detectives McCoy and Lomax encountered a man, who was subsequently identified as Cortez Bradley. Detectives McCoy and Lomax brought Cortez into the living room along with a third black male who had been in the adjacent bedroom.

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Related

French Tibbs v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2016
Timmie Bradley v. State of Indiana
54 N.E.3d 996 (Indiana Supreme Court, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
44 N.E.3d 7, 2015 Ind. App. LEXIS 631, 2015 WL 5438394, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/timmie-bradley-v-state-of-indiana-indctapp-2015.