Deshong v. State
Decision Date | 23 December 1981 |
Docket Number | No. 2,No. 60571,60571,2 |
Citation | 625 S.W.2d 327 |
Parties | Joseph Robert DESHONG, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee |
Court | Texas Court of Criminal Appeals |
Paul L. Fourt, Dallas, for appellant.
Henry Wade, Dist. Atty., J. T. Langford and David Powell, Asst. Dist. Attys., Dallas, Robert Huttash, State's Atty., Austin, for the State.
Before ONION, P. J., and TOM G. DAVIS and CLINTON, JJ.
Appeal is taken from a conviction for possession of a usable quantity of marihuana in the amount of less than two ounces. Appellant was convicted in a trial before the court and punishment was assessed at a fine of $250.00.
In his first ground of error, appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support his conviction. He maintains the State failed to present evidence which affirmatively linked him to the marihuana, in that he was only shown to be near the place where the marihuana was found.
Officer David Beer, of the Dallas Police Department, testified that he was on patrol in the early morning hours of November 17, 1977. He related that he observed two automobiles traveling at a high rate of speed and that the drivers were "swerving" at one another. Beer followed one of the automobiles and ultimately stopped it in the parking lot of a nearby shopping center. He related that he approached the automobile, opened the driver's door and told the driver to get out of the automobile. The officer identified appellant as the driver of the automobile which had been stopped.
Beer testified that upon opening the car door, he observed what he thought to be a plastic baggie containing marihuana. In describing where that baggie was found, the officer testified as follows:
Beer placed appellant under arrest for reckless driving. The officer testified that following appellant's arrest, the automobile was released to his passenger. Beer stated that he did not find any contraband on the "person" of either appellant or his passenger.
Appellant testified that he did not know that any contraband was in the automobile. He related that the automobile is used as a delivery vehicle in his business. He stated that numerous other individuals have access to the automobile for delivery purposes. Appellant further related that he had been driving the car for approximately one hour before he was stopped by Beer. Finally, appellant testified that on the night in question, he had entered the car on the driver's side.
With regard to the question of ownership of the automobile in which the marihuana was found, the record reflects that on direct examination, appellant testified as follows:
(Emphasis supplied).
Debra Richute testified that she was with appellant at the time he was stopped by Beer. She stated that she did not know that any contraband was in the car and that appellant said nothing to her concerning the marihuana.
Victor Audey, an employee of appellant, testified in his behalf on direct examination with regard to the use of appellant's car as follows:
In order to establish the unlawful possession of a controlled substance, the State must prove two elements: (1) that the accused exercised care, control and management over the contraband, and (2) that the accused knew that the matter possessed was contraband. Pollan v. State, 612 S.W.2d 594, Tex.Cr.App.; Dubry v. State, 582 S.W.2d 841, Tex.Cr.App. It is not necessary to prove that the accused had exclusive possession of the narcotics in question. Damron v. State, 570 S.W.2d 933, Tex.Cr.App. When the accused is not in exclusive possession of the place where the substance is found, it cannot be concluded that the accused had knowledge of and control over the contraband unless there are additional independent facts and circumstances which affirmatively link the accused to the contraband. Wiersing v. State, 571 S.W.2d 188 Tex.Cr.App.
The affirmative link can be established by showing additional facts and circumstances which indicate...
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Hutchison v. State
...unless there are additional independent facts and circumstances which affirmatively link the accused to the contraband.Deshong v. State, 625 S.W.2d 327, 329 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1981). Mere presence at the location where drugs are found is insufficient, by itself, to establish actual ......
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...to prove "additional independent facts and circumstances which affirmatively link the accused to the contraband." Deshong v. State, 625 S.W.2d 327, 329 (Tex.Crim.App.1981). In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, we must determine whether, considering the evidence in the light most fa......
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...affirmatively link the accused to the contraband. McGoldrick v. State, 682 S.W.2d 573, 578 (Tex.Crim.App.1985); Deshong v. State, 625 S.W.2d 327, 329 (Tex.Crim.App.1981); Cannon v. State, 807 S.W.2d 631, 634 (Tex.App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 1991, no pet.); Hill v. State, 755 S.W.2d 197, 200-......
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