Case Name: Herman Eugene WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1973-07-17
Citations: 498 S.W.2d 340
Docket Number: No. 46275
Parties: Herman Eugene WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter Second Series
Volume: 498
Pages: 340–343

Head Matter:
Herman Eugene WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
No. 46275.
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
July 17, 1973.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 19, 1973.
Delmar L. Cain, Austin, for appellant.
Robert O. Smith, Dist. Atty., Michael J. McCormick, Asst. Dist. Atty., Austin, Jim D. Vollers, State’s Atty., and Robert A. Huttash, Asst. State’s Atty., Austin, for the State.

Opinion:
OPINION
ODOM, Judge.
This appeal is from a conviction for the offense of unlawful possession of a narcotic drug, to-wit: heroin. Punishment was assessed at twelve years.
Appellant's sole contention on appeal is that the evidence is insufficient to support the conviction.
The record reflects that a search warrant was issued for the search of a trailer at 1307 Walnut Street in Austin. Utilities for the trailer were registered in the name of the appellant. The officers that obtained the search warrant had information that the appellant, Carolyn Morris, Robert "Bilbo", and other unknown persons were staying at the trailer.
On September 22, 1971, at approximately 1:00 A.M. seven members of the Austin Police Department went to the trailer to execute the search warrant. Upon entering the trailer, Carolyn Morris, Rose James, and Robert Owens were observed in a living room area. The appellant was in the kitchen area and the officers observed "needle marks" of an undetermined age on his left arm.
A search of the trailer was conducted and two packages of heroin were found in the east bedroom, lying on top of the dressing table. A hand wrapped cigarette butt, containing what appeared to be marihuana, was found in a trash can in the same east bedroom.
The appellant, Robert Owens, Carolyn Morris, Rose James and Jimmy James White were arrested and charged with possession of heroin.
The conviction will be reversed. At most the evidence shows that: (1) even though the appellant was in the trailer house at the time the search warrant was executed, he was not found to be in personal possession of narcotics; (2) since four other persons were present on the scene, and the evidence shows "were also staying there," when the search warrant was executed, appellant was not shown to be in exclusive possession; (3) since the narcotics in question were found on the dressing table in one bedroom, and appellant was in the kitchen of the trailer, sufficient "close proximity" is not shown; (4) even though "needle marks" were on appellant's arm, the witnesses testified that they could not determine whether they were recent; (S) even though the evidence shows that the utility bills for the trailer were in appellant's name, no other evidence, other than the fact of appellant's presence, was introduced to show he occupied the premises. See and compare Collini v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 487 S.W.2d 132; Harvey v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 487 S.W.2d 75; Hausman v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 480 S.W.2d 721; Payne v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 480 S.W.2d 732; Carr v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 480 S.W.2d 678; Ramos v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 478 S.W.2d 102; Haynes v. State, Tex.Cr.App, 475 S.W.2d 739.
In Collini v. State, supra, at page 136, of 487 S.W.2d this court held, in a unanimous opinion:
"In the case at bar there is conflicting evidence as to the place of residence of the appellant. . an inference can still be drawn from the evidence that he had possession and control of the premises where the heroin was found, i. e., 247 Venice. This possession and control of the premises is, however, not exclusive. Where an accused is not in exclusive possession of the premises, it cannot be concluded that he had knowledge of the narcotic and had control of it unless there are additional independent facts and circumstances which affirmatively link the accused to the narcotic. Harvey v. State, supra [Tex.Cr.App., 487 S.W.2d 75] ; Adair v. State, supra [Tex.Cr.App., 482 S.W.2d 247]; Payne v. State, supra; Hausman v. State, supra. See Petty v. People, 167 Colo. 240, 447 P.2d 217 (1968), and cases there cited."
The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.