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State v. Simon

Supreme Court of Minnesota
Jan 19, 1979
275 N.W.2d 51 (Minn. 1979)

Summary

holding that the evidence was sufficient to demonstrate constructive possession of drugs discovered in the defendant's bedroom

Summary of this case from State v. Ramirez

Opinion

No. 48359.

January 19, 1979.

Appeal from the District Court, Itasca County, John A. Spellacy, J.

C. Paul Jones, Public Defender, Kathy A. King, Asst. Public Defender, Minneapolis, for appellant.

Warren Spannaus, Atty. Gen., Thomas L. Fabel, Deputy Atty. Gen., St. Paul, Helen Hill Blanz, County Atty., Grand Rapids, for respondent.

Considered and decided by the court without oral argument.


Defendant was found guilty by a district court jury of a charge of unlawful possession of LSD and was sentenced by the trial court to a maximum 3-year prison term. Defendant, who is now on parole, contends on this appeal from judgment of conviction that the evidence showing that he constructively possessed the drug was legally insufficient and that a number of other matters combined to deprive him of a fair trial. We affirm.

The state's evidence showed that the LSD, along with other items, including a syringe, a passport, and a balance scale, was found in defendant's bedroom during the execution of a warrant to search the mobile home which defendant jointly leased and occupied with a friend. This evidence clearly was sufficient to prove constructive possession. See, State v. Florine, 303 Minn. 103, 226 N.W.2d 609 (1975). While the jury could have accepted the explanation offered by the defense that defendant's cotenant put the LSD in defendant's bedroom without his knowledge or permission, the jury was not bound to do so.

Defendant's second contention is that he was prejudiced by a statement the trial court made to the jury at the start of trial explaining why an assistant prosecutor was being substituted for the county attorney, who remembered after the jury was sworn that she had participated in the raid on defendant's residence. This contention is meritless since defendant apparently agreed that the court should explain the reason for the substitution to the jury and since defense counsel specifically refused the trial court's offer of a mistrial.

Defendant's third contention is that the prosecutor violated a court order in introducing during its case in chief the balance scale found in defendant's bedroom. It is true that at one point the court indicated that the scale could be admitted only after the defense introduced its evidence that the LSD belonged to the cotenant. However, the court later indicated otherwise, and when the prosecutor introduced the scale during its case in chief defense counsel specifically stated that he did not object and the court admitted it. Further, we fail to see the prejudice since the evidence would have been admitted anyway after defendant introduced the exculpatory evidence. As to the general admissibility of narcotic paraphernalia in constructive possession cases, see State v. Love, 301 Minn. 484, 221 N.W.2d 131 (1974), and other cases cited at 28 C.J.S. Supp. Drugs and Narcotics § 196.

Defendant's final contention is that his prosecution and/or punishment on the LSD charge was barred by the fact that the state had earlier tried to prosecute him for another possessory offense, possession of amphetamines, arising from the same conduct but had dismissed this prosecution when it learned that the suspected amphetamines really were caffeine pills. The double jeopardy claim has no application whatever since jeopardy never attached in the earlier prosecution. Minn.St. 609.035, the so-called single-behavioral-incident statute, has no application because under the statute only a prior "conviction or acquittal" and not a pretrial dismissal is a bar to prosecution for other offenses arising from the same conduct. State v. Gaulke, 281 Minn. 327, 161 N.W.2d 662 (1968).

Affirmed.


Summaries of

State v. Simon

Supreme Court of Minnesota
Jan 19, 1979
275 N.W.2d 51 (Minn. 1979)

holding that the evidence was sufficient to demonstrate constructive possession of drugs discovered in the defendant's bedroom

Summary of this case from State v. Ramirez

holding defendant constructively possessed narcotics found, along with a passport, in his bedroom in a mobile home defendant jointly leased with a friend

Summary of this case from State v. Grover

finding that a defendant who waives a trial court's offer of a mistrial cannot complain on appeal regarding the error

Summary of this case from State v. Ostermann

concluding sufficient evidence for constructive possession existed where drugs were found, in addition to a passport, in the defendant's bedroom in a jointly leased and occupied mobile home

Summary of this case from State v. Onyelobi

concluding defendant constructively possessed drugs, found near his passport, located in a bedroom of a shared home

Summary of this case from State v. Mindermann

affirming defendant's conviction of possessing LSD found in his bedroom in a mobile home he shared with another person

Summary of this case from State v. Lorenz

stating jury could have accepted defense explanation that defendant's cotenant put LSD in defendant's bedroom without his knowledge or permission but jury was not bound to do so

Summary of this case from State v. Petersen
Case details for

State v. Simon

Case Details

Full title:STATE of Minnesota, Respondent, v. Curt Richard SIMON, Appellant

Court:Supreme Court of Minnesota

Date published: Jan 19, 1979

Citations

275 N.W.2d 51 (Minn. 1979)

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