James v. State

Full title: CESAR ANTWON JAMES, APPELLANT, v. STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District

Date published: Feb 1, 1991

573 So. 2d 1025 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1991)

Opinion

No. 90-01506.

February 1, 1991.

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Pinellas County; Richard A. Luce, Judge.

J. Michael Ryon, New Port Richey, for appellant.

Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Dell H. Edwards, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tampa, for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

We affirm appellant's conviction and sentence for one count of sale of cocaine. We vacate the conviction and sentence for possession of cocaine on the authority of V.A.A. v. State, 561 So.2d 314 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990). As in V.A.A. v. State, we certify to the Florida Supreme Court the following question of great public importance:

WHEN A DOUBLE JEOPARDY VIOLATION IS ALLEGED BASED ON THE CRIMES OF SALE AND POSSESSION (OR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SELL) OF THE SAME QUANTUM OF CONTRABAND AND THE CRIMES OCCURRED AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SECTION 775.021, FLORIDA STATUTES (SUPP. 1988), IS IT IMPROPER TO CONVICT AND SENTENCE FOR BOTH CRIMES?

CAMPBELL, A.C.J., and LEHAN and THREADGILL, JJ., concur.