Opinion

Fitzpatrick v. State

  • 544 P.2d 525
  • 1975 OK CR 216
  • 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 482
Court
Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
Filed
Nov 6, 1975
Status
Published
Author
Brett
On the bench
Bussey, Bliss, Brett
Cited by
6 cases
Authority
More cited than 6.7%

The opinion

BRETT, Presiding Judge

(dissenting):

I am compelled to dissent to this decision, because I believe the offense of possession of marihuana was not proved, as to this defendant. I do not deny that there is circumstantial evidence to corroborate the fact that marihuana was smoked by someone in the pickup truck. Nor do I deny the testimony of Robert McNutt that this defendant smoked a cigarette with him as they drove down the road. But I do not find in this record any corroborating testimony to show that this defendant possessed the marihuana.

Robert McNutt testified that he bought and paid for the packet of marihuana. He later testified that he attempted to throw away the packet of marihuana, but it was subsequently found under the pickup truck by the authorities. Robert McNutt also testified that he pled guilty to the offense of possession of marihuana which had to be the same packet of substance, because he identified the packet introduced as exhibit three at this trial as being the marihuana he bought. There exists little doubt concerning defendant’s knowledge of the marihuana, but there is absolutely no testimony showing that she had dominion and control of the substance, nor is there any other independent factor to prove dominion and control. This Court held in Brown v. State, Okl.Cr., 481 P.2d 475 (1971):

“Joint possession cannot be established by fact that defendant is or has been in company of one having possession of marihuana in absence of additional inde-pendant factors linking defendant to it.”

I believe this record clearly proves that Robert McNutt possessed the only marihuana found at the scene of the accident; and therefore that this conviction should be reversed and remanded with instructions to dismiss as to this defendant.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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