Washington v. State

553 S.E.2d 855, 251 Ga. App. 206, 2001 Fulton County D. Rep. 2611, 2001 Ga. App. LEXIS 967
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedAugust 15, 2001
DocketA01A0962
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 553 S.E.2d 855 (Washington v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Washington v. State, 553 S.E.2d 855, 251 Ga. App. 206, 2001 Fulton County D. Rep. 2611, 2001 Ga. App. LEXIS 967 (Ga. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

553 S.E.2d 855 (2001)
251 Ga. App. 206

WASHINGTON
v.
The STATE.

No. A01A0962.

Court of Appeals of Georgia.

August 15, 2001.

*856 Joshua D. Earwood, for appellant.

T. Joseph Campbell, Dist. Atty., Donald S. Smith, Asst. Dist. Atty., for appellee.

BLACKBURN, Chief Judge.

Following a jury trial, Lynn C. Washington appeals her conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, contending that the evidence was insufficient to support the jury verdict and that the trial court erred by (1) denying Washington's motion for directed verdict, (2) not allowing counsel to question a witness regarding other witnesses' out-of-court statements, (3) ordering Washington to pay $82 in restitution. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the judgment and vacate the sentence in part.

1. In separate enumerations of error, Washington challenges the sufficiency of the evidence and the trial court's denial of her motion for directed verdict.

The standard of review for the denial of a motion for directed verdict of acquittal is the same as that for reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction. Under that standard we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury's verdict and determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Moreover, an appellate court does not weigh the evidence or determine witness credibility but only determines whether the evidence is sufficient under the standard of Jackson v. Virginia.[1]

(Punctuation and footnote omitted.) Yarbrough v. State.[2]

Viewing the evidence in this light, the record reveals that, on the afternoon of April 15, 1999, Lynn Archer visited the apartment *857 where his daughter, Tammy Kivett, resided.[3] Archer knocked on the door and heard an unknown person say that "they was in the tub." Archer left at that time but returned to the apartment at 8:30 p.m. Washington came to the front window of the apartment and spoke to Archer through the window for several minutes. Thereafter, Archer entered the apartment and found both Washington and James Timothy Glenn inside.[4] Archer told Washington and Glenn that they had no business being in the apartment. Lynn Archer then left and called his daughter to inform her that Washington and Glenn were in the apartment.

Not knowing either individual in her apartment, Tammy Kivett called the police, and two deputies arrived at the apartment after midnight. With Tammy Kivett's permission to enter the apartment, the deputies walked toward the doorway. Before the deputies had a chance to knock, however, Glenn opened the door. The lay out of the apartment was described as an "open floor plan." The deputies entered into the living room area, which was open and adjoined the dining room. From the living room, one could also look through an archway into the kitchen.

Inside the apartment, deputies found Washington, along with Glenn and Shari Denise Floyd.[5] Washington was standing in the kitchen area, with her hands in the kitchen sink. She appeared to be doing dishes. When Washington took her hands out of the sink, they were wet. The sink was filled with soapy water. Later, after the water and suds had drained, investigators found cocaine particles, a smoking device, scorched spoons, and a razor blade on the bottom of the sink. The authorities also found the following contraband scattered throughout the apartment: scorched spoons on the kitchen counter; a crack cocaine smoking device on the dining room table, in plain view; a light bulb that had been converted into a smoking device inside a "pumpkin" container in the bedroom closet; razor blades with residue on a shelf in the bedroom; razor blades with suspected cocaine residue, a copper-style scouring pad, and a plastic bag either in a drawer or on top of a small table located in the dining room area; a bag containing cocaine in the back of the toilet in the bathroom; and a syringe filled with liquid cocaine in a box behind the living room couch. Over 12 grams of cocaine were recovered from the apartment.

As Washington was escorted out of the apartment, Tammy Kivett observed that Washington was wearing one of her dresses, which had been in the apartment. Washington was arrested for burglary and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. She was not charged with theft of the dress. Although she was acquitted on the charge of burglary, the jury found Washington guilty of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Washington argues that the evidence demonstrated only her spatial proximity to the contraband, which was insufficient to sustain a conviction for constructive possession of cocaine.

Possession may be joint or exclusive, and actual or constructive. It is true that spatial proximity alone, or mere presence at the scene of the crime, and nothing more to show participation of a defendant in the illegal act, is insufficient to support a conviction. But where drugs are found in the immediate presence of the defendant, the jury is authorized to find they are in the constructive possession of the accused. The drugs here were found in the immediate presence of the appellant. The jury would be authorized to convict if they should find beyond a reasonable doubt that the appellant had actual or constructive possession either alone or jointly with others. If there is any evidence of guilt, it is for the jury to decide whether that evidence, circumstantial though it may be, is sufficient to warrant a conviction. *858 (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Widener v. State.[6] See also Carswell v. State.[7]

The evidence here demonstrated a connection between Washington and the contraband that went far beyond mere spatial proximity. When the police arrived, after midnight, Washington's hands were wet and in the very sink where crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia were later found. No other individual was shown to be in custody and control of the sink area. A jury could properly conclude that Washington had sole constructive possession of the contraband found in the kitchen sink.

The cases relied upon by Washington are inapposite. See Reid v.. State;[8]Paden v. State;[9]Diggs v. State.[10] In those cases, the defendants were not caught with their hands in the immediate presence of the contraband, as was the case here. Furthermore, although Washington properly contends that the facts must exclude other reasonable hypotheses, "[w]hether this burden has been met is a question for the jury, and its determination will not be disturbed unless the verdict is insupportable as a matter of law." (Punctuation omitted.) Carswell v. State, supra. The jury here was authorized to conclude that when Washington was caught in the apartment, after midnight, without the occupier's permission, with her hands in the sink which contained crack cocaine, a razor blade, scorched spoons, and a cocaine smoking device, she was not, as suggested by counsel, simply offering to "clean up a bit by washing the dishes."

In addition, a jury could infer that Washington had joint constructive possession of the other cocaine and drug paraphernalia found in the apartment.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Robert Allen Shaum v. State
Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2020
Tanksley v. State
758 S.E.2d 611 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2014)
Ebony Smoot v. State
Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2012
Smoot v. State
729 S.E.2d 416 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2012)
Holiman v. State
720 S.E.2d 363 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2011)
Walker v. State
707 S.E.2d 122 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2011)
Smith v. State
701 S.E.2d 490 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2010)
Wright v. State
690 S.E.2d 654 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2010)
Molina v. State
686 S.E.2d 802 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2009)
O'NEILL v. State
674 S.E.2d 302 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 2009)
Herberman v. State
653 S.E.2d 74 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2007)
Jackson v. State
635 S.E.2d 372 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2006)
Pless v. State
633 S.E.2d 340 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2006)
Hayes v. State
623 S.E.2d 144 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2005)
Ow v. State
564 S.E.2d 512 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2002)
Klaub v. State
564 S.E.2d 471 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
553 S.E.2d 855, 251 Ga. App. 206, 2001 Fulton County D. Rep. 2611, 2001 Ga. App. LEXIS 967, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/washington-v-state-gactapp-2001.