Case Title: State v. Key

Citation: 282 S.C. 413, 319 S.E.2d 338

Docket Number: 

State: south-carolina

Court: South Carolina Supreme Court

Date: 1984-08-07T00:00:00Z

Document:
282 S.C. 413 (1984) 319 S.E.2d 338 The STATE, Respondent, v. David Eugene KEY, Appellant. 22152 Supreme Court of South Carolina. Submitted May 17, 1984. Decided August 7, 1984. *414 Asst. Appellant Defender William Isaac Diggs, Columbia, for appellant. Atty. Gen. T. Travis Medlock and Asst. Atty. Gen. Harold M. Coombs, Jr., Columbia, Sol. William L. Ferguson, York, for respondent. Submitted May 17, 1984. Decided Aug. 7, 1984. Per Curiam: Appellant was arrested and found to be in possession of slightly under two ounces of marijuana. He was convicted under S.C. Code Ann. § 44-53-370 (Supp. 1983) of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Appellant excepts to the trial judge's instruction. The judge charged the jury: The charge could have been taken by the jury as requiring the defendant to personally rebut or explain his possession of more than one ounce of marijuana. Therefore, we hold the instruction constitutes reversible error. State v. Legette, S.C. 316 S.E. (2d) 411 (1984); State v. Cooper, 279 S.C. 301, 306 S.E. *415 (2d) 598 (1983). According, the judgment is reversed and the case remanded for a new trial. Reversed and remanded.