State v. Flemons

• Decision Date: 28 September 2004
• Docket Number: No. WD 63354.,WD 63354.
• Citation: 144 S.W.3d 877
• Parties: STATE of Missouri, Respondent, v. Antonio FLEMONS, Appellant.
• Court: Missouri Court of Appeals

144 S.W.3d 877

STATE of Missouri, Respondent, v. Antonio FLEMONS, Appellant.

No. WD 63354.

Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District.

September 28, 2004.

Appeal from the Circuit Court, Lafayette County, Dennis A. Rolf, J John Robert Cullom, Kansas City, for Appellant.

Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon, Atty. Gen., Deborah Daniels, Adriane Crouse, Office of Attorney General, Jefferson City, for Respondent.

PAUL M. SPINDEN, Judge.

Antonio Flemons appeals the circuit court's judgment convicting him of unlawful use of a weapon and failure to appear. Flemons asserts that the circuit court erred in accepting the jury's verdict of guilty on the unlawful use of a weapon count because the verdict was inconsistent with the jury's not guilty verdict on the count involving possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. He also contends that insufficient evidence existed for the jury to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of failing to appear for a trial setting. We affirm the circuit court's judgment in part and reverse it in part.

On April 27, 2002, Corporal Brian Hagerty of the State Highway Patrol was patrolling Interstate 70 near Route H in Lafayette County when he saw a vehicle driven by Flemons attempt to pass a tractor-trailer. As Flemons' vehicle entered the passing lane, it crossed the fog line and was about a foot from the median's edge. Flemons' vehicle remained in the passing lane for more than a mile before returning to the right lane. During that mile, the car crossed the fog line two more times. Hagerty turned on his vehicle's emergency lights and attempted to stop Flemons. In response to the emergency lights, Flemons sped up and began "fidgeting" over the center console area of his vehicle. Flemons continued driving for a quarter to a half-mile before pulling onto the highway's shoulder.

After Flemons had stopped, Hagerty walked to Flemons' vehicle on the driver's side, and his partner, Trooper Bill Oliver, went to the passenger's side. Hagerty asked Flemons for his driving license, which Flemons gave him along with a card identifying him as a "preferred customer" of a motel chain. Flemons told Hagerty that the car was a rental car, and he showed Hagerty the rental agreement. As Hagerty talked with Flemons, Hagerty saw Oliver signal him with his hand. Hagerty asked Flemons to move the vehicle because it was not parked in a safe place. As Hagerty and Oliver returned to their patrol car to move their car, too, Oliver told Hagerty that he had smelled the odor of burnt marijuana.

After Flemons had moved his car, Hagerty and Oliver again walked to the vehicle and asked him to get out of it. Hagerty described Flemons as having wide mood swings — from obvious anxiety to extreme nonchalance. Hagerty asked Flemons what his travel destination was, and Flemons told him that he was going to Jefferson City to visit his parents. Hagerty asked him whether or not he had any luggage, and Flemons told him that he had a gun in front seat's armrest.

Hagerty found a fully loaded 40-caliber gun from the center console. As he unloaded the gun, he noted that its magazine capacity was for more than 10 rounds. According to Hagerty, civilians could not purchase guns with capacities of more than 10 rounds. Flemons informed Hagerty that he had a permit for the gun, and Hagerty's check of the gun's serial number indicated that it had not been reported stolen.

During the course of his conversation with Hagerty, Flemons made several calls on his cellular telephone. At one point, Hagerty had to stop his investigation to allow Flemons to complete a telephone conversation. According to Hagerty, Flemons' body language indicated "excessive relaxation." Flemons went from a sitting position on the hood of the patrol car to a lounging position.

Flemons refused Hagerty's request for permission to search the car. When Hagerty explained that he was going to have a dog sniff the car's exterior, Flemons telephoned someone on his cell phone and said, "They're searching my fucking car." Hagerty asked Flemons to wait with Oliver at the rear of the patrol car while he retrieved a dog. The dog alerted Hagerty at several locations on the car, indicating the presence of drugs. Hagerty searched the trunk and found a red duffel bag that contained multiple plastic bags of marijuana. The marijuana weighed 5950.94 grams, or a little more than 13 pounds. Hagerty also found a partially burnt marijuana cigarette in the center console ashtray.

Hagerty told Oliver to arrest Flemons. In securing Flemons for the arrest, Oliver felt a bulge in Flemons' pant's pocket. Oliver reached inside Flemons' pocket and removed a cigarette rolling machine, rolling papers, three marijuana cigarettes, and loose marijuana. The officers took Flemons to the Lafayette County Jail.

The next day, Deputy Mark Good of the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department was working at the jail when a bondsman completed paperwork for Flemons' posting post bond. Good had Flemons read the bond form before signing it. It said, "The defendant is required to ... attend all court hearings as set by this court or any court to which this case is transferred or appealed." The form also said that, if Flemons failed to abide by this condition, "a warrant will be issued for his arrest and ... a charge of failure to appear may be filed." Good witnessed Flemons' signing the form.

On December 6, 2002, Flemons appeared in circuit court with his attorney concerning a motion to suppress evidence. The docket entry indicates that the circuit court set the case for a jury trial on December 18, 2002, at 8:30 A.M. On December 18, 2002, Flemons did not appear in court. The prosecuting attorney made an oral motion for bond revocation, which the circuit court sustained, and the circuit court issued a warrant for Flemons' arrest. Authorities arrested Flemons on April 8, 2003, in St. Louis County.

On August 13, 2003, a jury found Flemons guilty of unlawful use of a weapon and failure to appear and not guilty of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The circuit court sentenced Flemons as a prior offender to consecutive terms of four years of imprisonment. Flemons appeals.

In his first point, Flemons contends that the circuit court erred in denying his motions for judgment of acquittal and in accepting the jury's verdict of guilty on the unlawful use of a weapon count because the verdict was inconsistent with the jury's not guilty verdict on the count involving possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. Flemons, however, did not preserve the claim of inconsistent verdicts for our review. If a defendant claims that a verdict is inconsistent to the point of being self-destructive, he must present that claim to the circuit court before the jury is discharged; if he does not, he waives the claim. State v. Pelz, 845 S.W.2d 561, 565 (Mo.App.1992). Because Flemons did not object to the verdict, we may review his claim for plain error only.

Rule 30.20 authorizes us to review, in our discretion, "plain errors affecting substantial rights ... when the court finds that manifest injustice or miscarriage of justice has resulted therefrom." Under Rule 30.20, plain error review involves a two-step process. State v. Dudley, 51 S.W.3d 44, 53 (Mo.App.2001). First, we determine whether or not the claimed error "facially establishes substantial grounds for believing that `manifest injustice or miscarriage of justice has resulted[.]'" State v. Brown, 902 S.W.2d 278, 284 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 516 U.S. 1031, 116 S.Ct. 679, 133 L.Ed.2d 527 (1995). We must determine "whether, on the face of the claim, plain error has, in fact, occurred." Dudley, 51 S.W.3d at 53. Errors are plain if they are evident, obvious, and clear. State v. Hawthorne, 74 S.W.3d 826, 829 (Mo.App.2002). In the absence of such error, we should decline to exercise our discretion to review the claimed error under Rule 30.20. If we find plain error on the face of the claim, we may proceed, at our discretion, to the second step to consider whether or not a miscarriage of justice or manifest injustice will occur if the error is left uncorrected. Dudley, 51 S.W.3d at 53.

From the face of this record, we discern plain error. Flemons facially establishes substantial grounds for believing that he has been the victim of manifest injustice.

The jury in this case found Flemons guilty of unlawful use of a weapon but not guilty of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. The jury instruction for the unlawful use of a weapon charge, however, required the jury to find Flemons guilty of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute to find him guilty of unlawful use of a weapon. The instruction provided:

As to Count II, if you find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt:

First, that on or about April 27, 2002, in the County of Lafayette, State of Missouri, the defendant carried upon or about his person a firearm, and

Second, that defendant carried the firearm so that it was concealed from ordinary observation, and

Third, that the firearm was readily capable of lethal use, and

Fourth, that defendant acted knowingly with respect to the facts and conduct submitted in this instruction, and

Fifth, that defendant was not at that time traveling in a continuous journey peaceably through this state,

then you will find defendant guilty under Count II of unlawful use of a weapon.

However, unless you find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt each and all of these propositions you must find the defendant not guilty of that offense.

...

As used in this instruction, an individual is not "traveling peaceably" if he is committing the offense of possession of more than five grams of marijuana with the intent to distribute, deliver, or sell.

As used in this instruction, an individual is committing the offense of possession of more...