Woods v. State

734 S.W.2d 414
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 21, 1987
Docket01-86-0373-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 734 S.W.2d 414 (Woods 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
Woods v. State, 734 S.W.2d 414 (Tex. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

OPINION

JACK SMITH, Justice.

A jury found appellant guilty of delivery of cocaine by “constructive transfer,” and assessed punishment at 75 years confinement.

In his first point of error, appellant maintains that the evidence is insufficient to establish delivery by “constructive transfer.”

In considering a sufficiency of the evidence point, whether the State’s proof is by direct or circumstantial evidence, this Court views the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict to determine whether any rational trier of fact could find the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); Carlsen v. State, 654 S.W.2d 444 (Tex.Crim.App.1983). Where a reasonable hypothesis other than the guilt of the defendant remains after such review, proof of guilt is not established to the necessary degree. Freeman v. State, 654 S.W.2d 450 (Tex.Crim.App.1983).

The record reflects that Reeves, an undercover officer, and her partner were involved in an undercover narcotics operation and were investigating narcotics dealing at apartment 22 in the 600 block of Schroeder. As Reeves approached the stairs to the apartment, she heard appellant whistling at her. Before she reached the stairs, appellant approached her and asked her what she needed. Reeves replied “a 50.” Reeves testified that “a 50” is a fifty dollar “rock” of cocaine. Appellant asked Reeves for the money and said that “he could get it.” Reeves replied that she was going to apartment 22. Appellant informed Reeves that “they were cutting dope and they wouldn’t let anyone in at that time.”

Reeves told the appellant that she would leave and return in 15 minutes after she “checked with her old man.” Appellant again requested the money because “he didn’t have a 50, they only had quarters,” but he could get “a 50” for her.

When Reeves returned, she was again approached by appellant, and he asked whether she returned for “the 50.” Reeves replied affirmatively, and inquired as to whether the people in apartment 22 were finished cutting the dope. Appellant said that he would check, but he thought they were through. He went up the stairs, went inside and said something, which Reeves could not hear, and then told Reeves to go inside. Reeves and appellant then went into the apartment. Inside the apartment, a man, later identified as Jackson, was behind the door, and a man, later identified as Stevenson, was behind the kitchen counter.

After Reeves went inside, Stevenson asked her if she had come for the “50.” Reeves said “yes” and attempted to give Stevenson the money, but Stevenson told her to give it to Jackson. Jackson gave her the “rock” when she gave him the money. Reeves left, but returned with uniformed officers and arrested appellant, Jackson, and Stevenson.

The State’s indictment alternatively alleged delivery of cocaine by actual transfer, by constructive transfer, and by offering to sell. The trial court instructed the jury as to the law of parties pursuant to Tex.Penal Code Ann. sec. 7.01 and 7.02 (Vernon 1974). Under the law of parties, one is criminally responsible for the conduct of another if, acting with the intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense. Garza v. State, 573 S.W.2d 536 (Tex.Crim.App.1978). All three modes of delivery were submitted to the jury in the court’s charge, and the jury found the appellant guilty of delivery of cocaine by constructive transfer.

It is evident that appellant had relayed Reeves’ request for cocaine to Stevenson, because Stevenson was aware when Reeves entered the apartment how much cocaine she wanted to purchase. Steven *416 son constructively transfered the cocaine to Reeves by entrusting it to Jackson, and ordering him to make the transfer to Reeves.

We find that the evidence is sufficient to show appellant’s participation as a party to the offense. While mere presence at the scene of the offense is not sufficient to make someone a party to the offense, it is a circumstance tending to prove that one is a party when taken with facts sufficient to prove participation. Medellin v. State, 617 S.W.2d 229, 231 (Tex.Crim.App.1981). The evidence reveals not only the appellant’s presence during the conversation about the prospective drug sale and during the actual drug sale, but also that appellant assisted in the commission of the offense by relaying appellant’s request for drugs to Stevenson and Jackson.

When all of the above is viewed in a light most favorable to the verdict, the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction. See Medellin v. State, 617 S.W.2d at 229; Eastman v. State, 636 S.W.2d 272 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1982, pet. ref’d).

In his second point of error, appellant contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to quash the indictment because the term “constructive transfer” fails to give proper notice.

An indictment on its face shall be deemed sufficient if it “charges the commission of the offense in ordinary and concise language in such a manner as to enable a person of common understanding to know what is meant_” Tex.Code Crim. P.Ann. art. 21.11 (Vernon 1966). The State alleged the offense in terms of the statute by alternatively alleging delivery of a controlled substance. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 4476-15, sec. 1.02(6) (Vernon Supp. 1987). The definition of “delivery” provides for more than one manner or means to commit the act or omission, namely, actual transfer, constructive transfer, or offering to sell. All three types of delivery were alleged in the present indictment.

“Constructive transfer” is not statutorily defined. Ordinarily, when statutory words are not defined, they are given their plain meaning. Campos v. State, 623 S.W.2d 657, 658 (Tex.Crim.App.1981). The meaning of the term “constructive transfer,” although in a different context, has been addressed by the Court of Criminal Appeals. See Whaley v. State, 717 S.W.2d 26 (Tex.Crim.App.1986); Davila v. State, 664 S.W.2d 722 (Tex.Crim.App.1984); Rasmussen v. State, 608 S.W.2d 205 (Tex.Crim.App.1980) (op. on reh’g). The court interpreted a “constructive transfer” to be “the transfer of a controlled substance either belonging to the defendant or under his direct or indirect control, by some other person or manner at the instance or direction of the defendant.” Davila, 664 S.W.2d at 774.

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Related

Swinney v. State
828 S.W.2d 254 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1992)
Commonwealth v. Zimmerman
3 Pa. D. & C.4th 381 (Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas, 1989)
Woods v. State
758 S.W.2d 285 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1988)
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758 S.W.2d 286 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1988)

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