Title: State v. Bell

State: north-carolina

Issuer: North Carolina Supreme Court

Document:

153 S.E.2d 741 (1967) 270 N.C. 25 STATE v. Allan BELL, Jr. No. 266. Supreme Court of North Carolina. April 12, 1967. *742 *744 Atty. Gen. T. W. Bruton and Staff Atty. Andrew A. Venore, Jr., Raleigh, for the State. Francis O. Clarkson, Jr., Charlotte, for defendant, appellant. BRANCH, Justice. Bill of indictment No. 48215 charges that: There is a fatal variance between the indictment and the proof on this record. The indictment in bill No. 48215 charges that "Jean" Rogers was the person robbed. The entire proof and the record is that the person robbed was "Susan" Rogers. The defendant in a criminal action may raise the question of variance between the indictment and proof by a motion for nonsuit. State v. Overman, 257 N.C. 464, 125 S.E.2d 920; State v. Smith, 237 *745 N.C. 1, 74 S.E.2d 291. Here, defendant made motion for nonsuit at the close of the State's evidence and at the close of all the evidence. The motion for judgment of nonsuit should have been allowed as to the charge under this indictment, with leave to the solicitor to secure another bill of indictment if so advised. State v. Hicks, 233 N.C. 31, 62 S.E.2d 497; State v. Overman, supra. This opinion will hereafter be directed to the trial on bill of indictment No. 48216, which charges defendant Allan Bell, Jr., with the felony of robbery with firearms of Frances Frazier. Defendant assigns as error that the trial court erred in denying his motion for nonsuit. This is a case in which the State relies upon circumstantial evidence. To determine whether there is sufficient evidence to go to the jury we must consider the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, State v. Orr, 260 N.C. 177, 132 S.E.2d 334, and apply the rule enunciated in State v. Stephens, 244 N.C. 380, 93 S.E.2d 431, as follows: It is recognized in this State that: "If and when it is established that a store has been broken into and entered and that merchandise has been stolen thereform, the recent possession of such stolen merchandise raises presumptions of fact that the possessor is guilty of the larceny and of the breaking and entering." State v. Allison, 265 N.C. 512, 144 S.E.2d 578. However, *746 If there be substantial evidence of every essential element that goes to make up the offense charged, the case is for the jury. A majority of the cases which have considered the doctrine of "recent possession" in this jurisdiction have been cases involving breaking, entering and larceny. However, we find no valid reason why the rule does not apply to property taken in a robbery with firearms in the same manner as property taken by breaking and entering. In the instant case a portion of the property taken in the armed robbery of Frances Frazier was found not more than 25 minutes after the robbery occurred in defendant's automobile, which was being operated by defendant from the direction where the armed robbery occurred. Defendant Bell was accompanied by James Johnson, the person identified by the victim Frances Frazier, as holding the gun on her and taking her property. A pistol of the same description given by the victim of the robbery as being used in the robbery was in plain sight in defendant's automobile. Applying the well established rules of law to the facts in this case, we hold that the evidence was sufficient to require submission to the jury and to support the verdict. Appellant contends the trial judge erred in allowing testimony as to State's Exhibits 4, 5 and 6, which were obtained in the search of defendant's automobile, and in failing to find facts upon which the legal conclusion of the admissibility of this testimony was based. When Officer Funderburk was testifying, defendant's attorney asked that he be allowed to qualify the officer out of the presence of the jury. Whereupon, the jury was excused and defendant's attorney cross-examined the officer at length. Both the State and defendant had opportunity to offer evidence showing the circumstances under which the search was made. Defendant offered no evidence. By overruling defendant's objection, the trial judge ruled the evidence admissible, and this ruling is supported by competent evidence. When the trial court finds upon consideration of all the testimony offered on the preliminary inquiry that a confession was voluntarily made, his finding is not subject to review, if supported by competent evidence. State v. Hairston, 222 N.C. 455, 23 S.E.2d 885. While it is better practice for a judge on voir dire to make finding of fact and enter it in the record, a failure to do so is not fatal. The ruling that the evidence was competent was of necessity bottomed on the finding that the search was legal. State v. Litteral, 227 N.C. 527, 43 S.E.2d 84. The court fully granted defendant's requests concerning a voir dire. The fact that defendant offered no contradictory evidence further negated the necessity for the judge to find facts. We hold there was no prejudicial error in the court's failure to find facts in making its ruling. We must, however, decide as a matter of law whether the circumstances of this case constitute an illegal search so as to prevent testimony relative to State's Exhibits 4, 5, and 6. G.S. § 15-27.1 provides in part: "No facts discovered or evidence obtained by reason of the issuance of an illegal search warrant or without a legal search warrant in the course of any search, made under conditions requiring a search warrant, shall be competent as evidence in the trial of any action." If the search was incidental to the arrest of defendant, it was not illegal. Webster's Third New International Dictionary defines "incidental" as "subordinate, nonessential, or attendant in position or significance." In State v. Haney, 263 N.C. 816, 140 S.E.2d 544, officers within twenty minutes of a lawful arrest searched the car in which defendant was at the time of the arrest. Holding the search lawful, the Court said: A review of other jurisdictions shows that many of the cases turn on whether or not the officer had reasonable cause to arrest the defendant and as an incident to the arrest were entitled to search defendant's car. In the case of People v. Cantley, 163 Cal. App. 2d 762, 329 P.2d 993, police officers saw defendant stop his car in front of an apartment house and enter the house for about two or three minutes and upon his return he made a "U" turn to drive away. The officers stopped the car and saw him make a motion as if he were reaching under the front seat, and further observed that he met, to some extent, the description of a person wanted in connection with a robbery and murder. One of the officers flashed his light into the car and found a loaded revolver on the floorboard. The Court concluded that the officers acted reasonably in the light of the information they had received, and that they entertained a reasonable suspicion that defendant had committed a felony, and they had reasonable cause to arrest the defendant, and as an incident to the arrest they were entitled to search defendant's car. In the case of State v. Brooks, 57 Wash. 2d 422, 357 P.2d 735, officers saw an automobile with two occupants parked in a no-parking zone and stopped to investigate. Upon opening the door they saw some paper bags in the car with uncovered trousers protruding from them. The bags were opened and four new suits were found, with sales tags still upon them, whereupon the officers arrested the occupants. It was held that since it appeared from the record that the officers had sufficient cause to believe that a felony had been or was being committed, they had a right to arrest them without a warrant, and therefore the search of the paper bags and the seizure of the contents before the arrest of the occupants was lawful. *748 In United States v. Sala, (1962, D.C.Pa.) 209 F. Supp. 956, it was held that a search without a warrant of a panel truck was legal, although it preceded the arrest of the driver, when officers making the search had probable cause therefor, by reason of facts and circumstances known to them, which would have warranted a prudent man to believe that a felony had been or was being committed in his presence. In the present case, when the officers stopped the automobile fitting the description of the one used in conjunction with the robbery and observed the pistol on the seat of the automobile, they had reasonable ground to believe that defendant had committed a felony and would evade arrest if not taken into custody. G.S. § 15-41. The search and seizure were so closely related in time and circumstance to the arrest as to make the search and seizure reasonable. Under the circumstances, the officers would have been derelict had they not stopped the car for investigation. Upon observing the pistol in the automobile, the bounds of reasonableness were not overstepped by placing the defendant under arrest or by the attendant and incidental search of the automobile. Moreover, it has been recognized in this jurisdiction that "`Where no search is required, the constitutional guaranty is not applicable. The guaranty applies only in those instances where the seizure is assisted by a necessary search. It does not prohibit a seizure without a warrant where there is no need of a search, and where the contraband subject matter is fully disclosed and open to the eye and hand.'" State v. Giles, 254 N.C. 499, 119 S.E.2d 394. There is competent evidence from the officers that the pistol and pocketbook were visible from the outside of the automobile and were fully disclosed and open to the eye without the necessity of search. Defendant contends that the court erred in charging the jury that they could find the defendant guilty if they found he aided and abetted in the commission of armed robbery, because the indictment does not charge defendant with aiding and abetting. A defendant may be tried and convicted as a principal where he either counsels, procures or commands another to commit a felony, as an accessory before the fact, G.S. § 14-5, or aids and abets in the commission of the crime, State v. Peeden, 253 N.C. 562, 117 S.E.2d 398. He need not be actually present; he may be only constructively present. See State v. Sellers, 266 N.C. 734, 147 S.E.2d 225, where the Court states: G.S. § 14-87 provides: This statute creates no new offense. "It does not add to or subtract from the common *749 law offense of robbery except to provide that when firearms or other dangerous weapons are used in the commission of the offense, more severe punishment may be imposed." State v. Hare, 243 N.C. 262, 90 S.E.2d 550; State v. Stewart, 255 N.C. 571, 122 S.E.2d 355. Thus, it was not necessary for the bill of indictment to charge defendant with aiding and abetting, and the charge of the court was without error. As to trial under Indictment No. 48215 Reversed. As to trial under Indictment No. 48216 No Error.