Lovett v. State
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Cite as 2011 Ark. App. 418
ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS
DIVISION II
CACR 11-105
No.
Opinion Delivered
CHARLES E. LOVETT
APPELLANT
June 1, 2011
APPEAL FROM THE JEFFERSON
COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
[NO. CR2007-154-5]
V.
HONORABLE JODI RAINES
DENNIS, JUDGE
STATE OF ARKANSAS
APPELLEE
AFFIRMED
DOUG MARTIN, Judge
Following the execution of a search warrant at his home in Pine Bluff, appellant
Charles Lovett was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine)
with intent to deliver, one count of possession of marijuana, and one count of possession of
drug paraphernalia. A Jefferson County jury acquitted Lovett of the charges of possession of
marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia; he was convicted, however, of possession of
cocaine with intent to deliver1 and sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment. Lovett filed a
timely notice of appeal and argues as his sole point on appeal that the evidence was
insufficient to convict him of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. We affirm.
1
The verdict form reflected that the jury found that Lovett possessed at least 28 grams
but less than 200 grams of cocaine.
Cite as 2011 Ark. App. 418
The test for determining sufficiency of the evidence is whether substantial evidence
supports the verdict. Cherry v. State, 80 Ark. App. 222, 226, 95 S.W.3d 5, 8 (2003); Hatley
v. State, 68 Ark. App. 209, 213, 5 S.W.3d 86, 88 (1999). Evidence is substantial when it is
forceful enough to compel a conclusion and goes beyond mere speculation or conjecture.
Wortham v. State, 65 Ark. App. 81, 82, 985 S.W.2d 329, 329 (1999). Circumstantial evidence
can be sufficient to sustain a conviction when it excludes every other reasonable hypothesis
consistent with innocence. Mace v. State, 328 Ark. 536, 539, 944 S.W.2d 830, 832 (1997).
The question of whether the circumstantial evidence excludes every hypothesis consistent
with innocence is for the jury to decide. Ross v. State, 346 Ark. 225, 230, 57 S.W.3d 152,
156 (2001).
Arkansas Code Annotated section 5-64-401 (Repl. 2006) provides that it is unlawful
for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a
controlled substance. Although intent can seldom be proved by direct evidence and must be
inferred from facts and circumstances, a jury may consider possession, along with any other
pertinent fact, in determining whether a defendant possessed the specific intent to sell or
deliver a controlled substance. Thomason v. State, 91 Ark. App. 120, 130–31, 208 S.W.3d
830, 832 (2005).
2
Cite as 2011 Ark. App. 418
On January 26, 2007, officers from the Pine Bluff Police Department executed a
search warrant at Lovett’s home at 1406 Boston Drive.2 Sergeant John Zuber assisted in
executing the warrant. During the course of the search, Zuber discovered a laundry basket
in a hall closet. In the laundry basket, along with some documents bearing Lovett’s name,
Zuber found a plastic bag that contained two smaller plastic bags. One of the smaller bags
contained an off-white rock substance that was later determined to be crack cocaine, and the
other smaller bag contained a white powdery substance that subsequent testing showed to
be powder cocaine. The total weight of the drugs was approximately 43.9 gross grams.
Major Lafayette Woods of the Tri-County Drug Task Force testified that he was the
case agent responsible for the organization of the Lovett case and the execution of the search
warrant. After the house was secured and Lovett was taken into custody, Woods conducted
an interview with Lovett. Woods testified without objection that, during the interview,
Lovett admitted ownership of the items found in the residence. Lovett told Woods that he
had not had a job since the late 1980s after suffering a work-related injury. When his benefits
were cut off, Lovett said that he started selling cocaine and crack cocaine to supplement his
income. Lovett told Woods that he had a supplier in Texas and had just purchased the drugs
2
The State introduced a substantial amount of evidence showing that Lovett resided
at this address, including utility bills and rent statements. Lovett does not argue on appeal that
the State failed to prove that the house that was the subject of the search warrant was his
residence.
3
Cite as 2011 Ark. App. 418
that were found in his house. Lovett also explained that he usually did not sell from his house
but would instead meet people interested in buying from him in a grocery store parking lot.
Lovett argues on appeal that the evidence failed to prove that he possessed the cocaine
found in the laundry basket, focusing entirely on whether he constructively possessed the
drugs. He notes that there was testimony that at least three other people lived in the same
house, and he thus contends that there was no proof that he ever exercised dominion or
control over the contraband, as is required to prove a case of constructive possession. See,
e.g., Johns v. State, 2011 Ark. App. 217, ___ S.W.3d ___.
The evidence in this case, however, was clear that Lovett was in actual possession of
the cocaine, rendering his discussion of constructive possession irrelevant. Although Lovett
complains that his confession was never entered into evidence and its “veracity . . . is highly
questionable because [Woods testified that the audiotape of the confession] was inaudible”
and impossible to transcribe, the supreme court has held that, when an officer testifies
without objection as to what a defendant has told the police, the testimony is properly
admitted. Gamble v. State, 351 Ark. 541, 551, 95 S.W.3d 755, 761–62 (2003). Woods’s
testimony that Lovett confessed to him that the cocaine was his and that he intended to sell
it is direct evidence of Lovett’s guilt of the offense of possession of cocaine with intent to
deliver. See id. at 546, 95 S.W.3d at 758 (holding that “direct evidence is evidence that
proves a fact without resort to inference, when for example, it is proved by witnesses who
testify to what they saw, heard, or experienced”). Accordingly, the circuit court did not err
4
Cite as 2011 Ark. App. 418
in denying Lovett’s motion for directed verdict, and his conviction and sentence are thus
affirmed.
Affirmed.
ROBBINS and BROWN , JJ., agree.
5
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