Title: STATE v JOHNSON

State: montana

Issuer: Montana Supreme Court

Document:

NO. 82-272 I N T H E SUPREME COURT O F T H E STATE O F M O N T A N A 1983 THE STATE O F MONTANA, P l a i n t i f f and Appellant, -vs- S A M JOHNSON, CHRIS JOHNSON, PAT (DOE) HAP.IILTON AIJD ROBERT GRAHAM CLEF?!< C!: S I?::.-,':s- , . , '.I'NT Defendants and Respond-ents. STWL c,: c " , , : ~ i.,iix Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e F i f t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , I n and f o r t h e County of Madison, The Honorable Mark P. S u l l i v a n , Judge p r e s i d i n g . Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Hon. Mike Greely, Attorney General, Helena, Montana Loren Tucker, V i r g i n i a C i t y , Montana For Respondent r Chester L. Jones, V i r g i n i a C i t y , 14ontana - - . ----- - * - - Submitted: January 1 0 , 1983 Decided: March 17, 1983 F i l e d : p? ! ; rj 3 , 2 983 Clerk M r . J u s t i c e John Conway H a r r i s o n d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e C o u r t . Defendants were charged w i t h t h e o f f e n s e s of m a i n t a i n i n g a bingo/keno game i n which cards/chances may be purchased i n e x c e s s o f $.SO i n v i o l a t i o n of s e c t i o n 23-5-412, MCA, and u s i n g , p o s s e s s i n g , o p e r a t i n g , keeping, and m a i n t a i n i n g a slot machine i n v i o l a t i o n of s e c t i o n 23-5-104, MCA. Af ter c o n s o l i d a t i o n of t h e c h a r g e s a g a i n s t d e f e n d a n t s , t h e D i s t r i c t Court of t h e F i f t h J u d i c i a l District i n and f o r t h e County of Madison, d i s m i s s e d both c o u n t s a g a i n s t a l l d e f e n d a n t s . The S t a t e a p p e a l s . Defendant, Robert Graham, is t h e owner of The Blue Anchor B a r and Cafe i n Twin B r i d g e s , Montana. Defendants, Sam and C h r i s Johnson own, and d e f e n d a n t , P a t (Doe) Hamilton works a t , t h e Longbranch Saloon and Supper Club i n E n n i s , Montana. On A p r i l 22, 1982, t h e Madison County s h e r i f f e n l i s t e d D i l l o n p o l i c e o f f i - cers t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e Longbranch and The Blue Anchor af t e r t h e s h e r i f f r e c e i v e d i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t keno machines i n Madison County were paying c a s h rewards. A t each of t h e b a r s t h e p o l i c e o f f i c e r s found a machine l a b e l e d "High Country Keno." Each of t h e machines d i s p l a y e d a s i g n which r e a d : "Win $100.00." The o f f i c e r s i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e machines a t t h e t w o e s t a b l i s h - ments f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y f i v e hours. A p p a r e n t l y , t h e machines are o p e r a t e d by i n s e r t i n g c o i n s i n t o a s l o t on t h e machine. Each b e t costs $.25 and up to e i g h t b e t s can be purchased on a s i n g l e p l a y The o f f i c e r s gambled $29 .50 i n t h e c o u r s e of t h e i r i n v e s t i g a t i o n and won $12.50. The p r i z e money d i d n o t come d i r e c t l y from t h e machine, b u t w a s p a i d t o t h e o f f i c e r s by Hamilton and Graham. On May 20, 1982, t h e S t a t e o b t a i n e d l e a v e to f i l e a n I n f o r m a t i o n a g a i n s t a l l d e f e n d a n t s . On t h a t day, I n f o r m a t i o n s were f i l e d c h a r g i n g d e f e n d a n t s Johnson and Hamilton, and defen- d a n t , Graham, w i t h Count I ; v i o l a t i o n s of s e c t i o n 23-5-104, MCA, u s i n g , o p e r a t i n g , p o s s e s s i n g , k e e p i n g , and m a i n t a i n i n g a slot machine, and Count 11; v i o l a t i o n s of s e c t i o n 23-5-412, MCA, main- t a i n i n g a bingo/keno game i n which cards/chances may be purchased i n e x c e s s of $.SO. On J u l y 1, 1982, t h e Johnson-Hamilton case and t h e Graham case were c o n s o l i d a t e d by o r d e r of t h e District Court. On J u l y 1 6 , 1982, t h e District Court e n t e r e d an o r d e r d i s m i s s i n g b o t h c o u n t s a g a i n s t a l l d e f e n d a n t s . I n t h e o r d e r t h e District Court s t a t e d b o t h c o u n t s were d i s m i s s e d f o r l a c k of p r o b a b l e c a u s e . The S t a t e a p p e a l s from t h e District C o u r t ' s r u l i n g . The i s s u e s r a i s e d on a p p e a l a r e as f o l l o w s : 1. Whether t h e D i s t r i c t Court e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g Count I o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n which charged d e f e n d a n t s w i t h t h e i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a slot machine i n v i o l a t i o n of s e c t i o n 23-5-104, MCA, f o r l a c k of p r o b a b l e c a u s e . 2. Whether t h e c h a r g e c o n t a i n e d i n Count I1 of t h e I n f o r m a t i o n states a n o f f e n s e under s e c t i o n 23-5-412, MCA. 3. Whether t h e District Court e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g Count I1 o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n which charged d e f e n d a n t s w i t h m a i n t a i n i n g a bingo/keno game i n which cards/chances could be purchased i n e x c e s s of $.50 i n v i o l a t i o n of s e c t i o n 23-5-412, MCA, f o r l a c k of p r o b a b l e c a u s e . Count I o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n charged d e f e n d a n t s w i t h t h e i l l e - g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a s l o t machine. S l o t machines are d e f i n e d by s e c t i o n 23-5-101, MCA: " ( 1 ) A s l o t machine is d e f i n e d as a machine o p e r a t e d by i n s e r t i n g a c o i n , t o k e n , c h i p , t r a d e check, o r p a p e r c u r r e n c y t h e r e i n by t h e p l a y e r and from t h e p l a y of which he o b t a i n s o r may o b t a i n money, c h e c k s , c h i p s , t o k e n s , o r P a p e r c u r r e n c y redeemable i n money. Merchandise vending machines where t h e element o f chance does n o t e n t e r i n t o t h e i r o p e r a t i o n are n o t w i t h i n t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h i s p a r t . " S e c t i o n 23-5-104, MCA, states it s h a l l be a misdemeanor to " u s e , p o s s e s s , o p e r a t e , keep, o r m a i n t a i n f o r use" any slot machine. The a f f i d a v i t s of p r o b a b l e cause f i l e d with t h e motions f o r l e a v e to f i l e I n f o r m a t i o n by t h e S t a t e states i n v e s t i g a t i n g o f f i c e r s p l a c e d b e t s from one t o e i g h t q u a r t e r s p e r game, i n t o machines l a b e l e d "High Country Keno ," a t e s t a b l i s h m e n t s owned by d e f e n d a n t s . A t each e s t a b l i s h m e n t t h e o f f i c e r s were a b l e t o p u t a q u a r t e r ( s ) i n t o t h e machine, t h e p l a y of which won $12.50 p a i d by t h e b a r t e n d e r . The District Court d i s m i s s e d Count I o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n f o r l a c k of p r o b a b l e c a u s e . The D i s t r i c t Court h e l d "High Country Keno" is e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same a s t h e "Raven Keno Game" which t h i s C o u r t r u l e d l e g a l i n T r e a s u r e S t a t e G a m e s v. S t a t e of Montana ( 1 9 7 6 ) , 170 Mont. 1 8 9 , 551 P.2d 1008. S e c t i o n 46-11-2011 MCA, g r a n t s l e a v e to f i l e an I n f o r m a t i o n , " i f it a p p e a r s t h a t t h e r e is p r o b a b l e cause t o b e l i e v e t h a t an o f f e n s e h a s been committed by t h e d e f e n d a n t ." The S t a t e a r g u e s it need n o t d e m o n s t r a t e a prima f a c i e case i n t h e c h a r g i n g documents, o n l y show p r o b a b l e cause to b e l i e v e a n o f f e n s e h a s been committed. W e a g r e e . S e c t i o n 25-5-1041 MCA, p r o h i b i t s t h e use o r o p e r a t i o n of s l o t machines. The S t a t e claims "High Country Keno" is a s l o t machine, t h e d e f e n d a n t s c l a i m it is n o t . There is no r e c o r d to d e t e r m i n e whether t h e machine is or is not a slot machine. However, t h e S t a t e h a s shown p r o b a b l e cause i n its af f i d a v i t s t h a t an o f f e n s e h a s been committed and t h a t is a l l t h a t is n e c e s s a r y . W e cannot d e t e r m i n e whether t h e "High Country Keno" game is e x a c t l y t h e same a s t h e "Raven Keno Game" d e c l a r e d l e g a l i n --- T r e a s u r e S t a t e G a m e s f o r t h e r e are no f i n d i n g s i n t h e r e c o r d from which a d e t e r - - - m i n a t i o n can be made. W e hold t h e District C o u r t ' s o r d e r d i s m i s s i n g Count I o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n was i n e r r o r . Next, w e w i l l a d d r e s s i s s u e s t w o and t h r e e t o g e t h e r as they b o t h c h a l l e n g e t h e d i s m i s s a l of Count I1 of t h e I n f o r m a t i o n . Count I1 c h a r g e s d e f e n d a n t s w i t h " m a i n t a i n i n g a bingo/keno game i n which cards/chances may be purchased i n e x c e s s of $ .5OrW i n v i o l a t i o n of s e c t i o n 23-5-412, MCA. I n - T r e a s u r e S t a t e G a m e s , P -- s u p r a , and G a l l a t i n County v. D & R Music and Vending ( 1 9 8 2 ) , Mont. , 654 P.2d 998, 39 St.Rep. 2197, t h i s Court h a s r u l e d keno and e l e c t r o n i c keno are l e g a l under t h e Bingo and R a f f l e s A c t , s e c t i o n 25-5-401, e t s e q . , MCA. S e c t i o n 25-5-412, MCA, s t a t e s : "The p r i c e f o r an i n d i v i d u a l bingo card s h a l l n o t exceed 50 c e n t s ." The District Court o r d e r e d Count I1 d i s m i s s e d f o r t h e r e a s o n t h a t t h e s t a t u t e states an " i n d i v i d u a l " c a r d may n o t exceed $.50 y e t t h e language i n t h e I n f o r m a t i o n is "cards/chances may be purchased i n e x c e s s of $ .50." The District Court h e l d t h e p l u r a - l i t y of t h e language i n t h e charge s i m p l y does n o t state a n o f f e n s e under s e c t i o n 23-5-412, MCA. The a f f i d a v i t f i l e d w i t h t h e motion f o r l e a v e t o f i l e I n f o r m a t i o n states a b e t of up to e i g h t q u a r t e r s can be made and " t h e more t h e b e t , t h e h i g h e r t h e payoff ." Defendants c l a i m t h e machine t a k e s s e p a r a t e $ .25 b e t s which a r e cumulated f o r t h e purpose of i n c r e a s i n g t h e odds i n f a v o r of t h e p l a y e r . The S t a t e a r g u e s t h e b e t s a r e n o t s e p a r a t e b u t are a c t u a l l y one b e t which exceeds t h e $ .50 l i m i t . A s stated above, an I n f o r m a t i o n need o n l y show " p r o b a b l e cause to b e l i e v e a n o f f e n s e h a s been committed ." Again, t h i s Court h a s no r e c o r d from which w e can d e t e r m i n e t h e l e g a l i t y of t h e b e t s . W e do f i n d t h a t t h e a f f i d a v i t does show probable cause t h a t an o f f e n s e h a s been committed and d i s m i s s a l of Count I1 o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n w a s i n error. Reversed and remanded t o t h e District Court f o r f u r t h e r pro- ceed i n g s . t W e concur: a-Q6!~r/,dp Chief ~ u s t i c e ~ J u s t i c e s I respectfully dissent. The State here seeks to have the courts declare an electronic simulation of keno to be a slot machine and thus impose the sanctions found in sections 23-5-121 and 23-5-122. The latter two sections authorize seizure and confiscation of slot machines. These sanctions would authorize confiscation of keno machines if in fact they are slot machines being operated in violation of section 23-5-104, MCA. In Treasure State Games v. State of Montana (1976), 170 Mont. 189, 551 P.2d 1008, this Court held that keno machines were electronic simulations of keno or bingo games and as such were legal. We did not determine whether cash payoffs could be made. However, keno is legal under the Bingo and Raffles Act, section 25-5-401, et seq., MCA, wherein cash prizes are not authorized. The issue becomes whether payment of cash prizes removes keno machines from the auspices of the Bingo and Raffles Act and converts an otherwise lawful keno machine to a slot machine. Business people have relied in good faith upon our decision in Treasure State and invested in keno machines believing that the electronic simulation of keno was authorized. Without ever previously ruling that cash payoffs were illegal, we now surprise these good faith investors with a ruling which allows confiscation of their investments. I would affirm the district court ruling that the State cannot prosecute violation of the Bingo and Raffles Act by permitting confiscation of these machines as slot machines. I agree completely with the dissent of Justice Morrison. ' , . --. ---==T=ss ,A,' r" Justice ice