State v. Jenkins, WD

• Decision Date: 22 May 1984
• Docket Number: No. WD,WD
• Citation: 674 S.W.2d 93
• Parties: STATE of Missouri, Respondent, v. Ricky JENKINS a/k/a Sherman R. Jenkins, Appellant. 34542.
• Court: Missouri Court of Appeals

Page 93

674 S.W.2d 93

STATE of Missouri, Respondent, v. Ricky JENKINS a/k/a Sherman R. Jenkins, Appellant.

No. WD 34542.

Missouri Court of Appeals Western District.

May 22, 1984.

Motion For Rehearing and/or Transfer to

Supreme Court Overruled and Denied

July 3, 1984.

Application to Transfer Denied

Sept. 11, 1984.

Fred Duchardt, Public Defender, Liberty, for appellant.

John Ashcroft, Atty. Gen. and Frank A. Rubin, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, for respondent.

Before SOMERVILLE, P.J., TURNAGE, C.J., and BERREY, J.

BERREY, Judge.

This is an appeal from the Circuit Court of Platte County where the defendant was convicted of burglary, first degree.

On appeal defendant raises two points. First, that defendant was entrapped into the commission of the offense and secondly, that the state failed to present evidence that defendant unlawfully entered the residence possessed by Charles Gatschet.

Judgment affirmed.

On the evening of December 30, 1980, Charles W. Gatschet, Jr. was at his home (owned by his parents) with two friends (his parents were not at home) and he was in constructive possession of the premises.

He received a call from Platte County Sheriff Thomas alerting him to a possible burglary, subsequently deputies arrived and requested he and his friends go upstairs to his room, turn off the lights and wait. He did as requested. About ten to fifteen minutes later he heard a wrenching at the back door, later he heard a window break and a police officer yell, "Freeze, police."

Charles Pierce, a detective on the Platte County Sheriff's Department, testified he was contacted by the sheriff's dispatcher during the evening hours of December 30, 1980, that he had a message to contact Kathy Burgman, which he did.

Miss Burgman advised Detective Pierce that sometime around midnight, December 30, 1980, two burglaries would take place, one in Atchison, Kansas, and the other in northern Platte County.

Burgman had been working with Pierce on previous narcotic cases as an informant. She had received either money; or leniency in some case pending against her. Pierce knew nothing of the burglary plans prior to the call from Miss Burgman and had not expected such information. ¹

Pierce then contacted Chief Pickman of the Atchison City Police Department and Sergeant Bill Zerbe head of the Platte County Sheriff's Department investigation unit. The sheriff was notified as was Captain Price, head of the Platte County Sheriff's Department tactical unit.

Miss Burgman told Pierce the purpose of the burglary was to steal guns and silver and advised the residence of Charles Gatschet was where the burglary would occur.

Burgman told Pierce, "that it was already setup, it was arranged, a decision had been made", up until that time he had not guided Burgman in arranging it, he had given her no directions.

Pierce then met with Deputies Tharp, Mollett and Carter and proceeded to the residence, picking up Sergeant Zerbe enroute.

Sergeant Zerbe positioned himself inside the home and from the first sounds of attempting to open the interior garage door until entry was gained approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes elapsed. Entry was attempted at the interior garage door, front door and every window around the perimeter of the residence. Finally, the screen on a front window was cut and the screen removed. The exterior storm window was broken then the interior window was broken. Zerbe heard two suspects whispering. He then observed a man enter through the window and squat on a credenza located under the window. At that point the suspect flashed a light on Zerbe who immediately turned on the lights, aimed his shotgun at the defendant and ordered him to freeze. Two feet separated them. The defendant leaped backwards out through the window and fled.

Upon their arrival Officer Pierce was staked out 120 yards south of the residence, he heard glass break and sounds of prying. He then heard Zerbe yell, "Chuck, he's running".

Miss Burgman was taken into custody at the scene and gave defendant's address to officers. The officers proceeded to Atchison, Kansas, obtained a search warrant for defendant's house and found him there hiding under a pile of clothes. He was transported to the Atchison County Jail, given the Miranda Warning, interrogated and admitted his participation in the burglary.

Defendant Jenkins testified in his own behalf regarding a letter he had written the Prosecuting Attorney from the Atchison county jail following his arrest. He alleged, "Kathy kept telling me to drink it up". That, "we had been drinking and taking drugs together." Jenkins was driving his own vehicle and, "just went along with what she was asking me to do". Jenkins testified, "I wanted not to go down there." That, "Yes, I did try to leave" and "Well, I actually stopped myself."

The Prosecuting Attorney asked, "You stopped yourself from leaving, so you made the decision to stay and burglarize the Gatschet residence. Is that what your're telling the jury?" To which defendant answered, "Yes."

Defendant then admitted to a felony conviction in 1970 in Minnesota, a conviction in 1975 of a theft charge in Kansas, and 1980 conviction of a felony possession charge.

The entire gist of defendant's defense is that he was entrapped into committing the offense by Miss Burgman, a "white lady" who the defendant alleges supplied him with drugs and liquor, and had sex with him. He told her at least ten different times he wanted to go home. At the scene he protested that he wanted to go home and he was dizzy and twice tried to leave.

Defendant stated he heard Burgman on the phone about 10:30 p.m. on the night in question. "She told them she had one of the guys with me and couldn't get the other to come along." "I remember her saying something about, 'I can't give you his name right now, but just keep an eye out for u...