Case Name: Antwain GAMBLE, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1994-10-14
Citations: 644 So. 2d 1376
Docket Number: No. 92-2972
Parties: Antwain GAMBLE, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: PETERSON, J., concurs specially, with opinion.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 644
Pages: 1376–1383

Head Matter:
Antwain GAMBLE, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 92-2972.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Oct. 14, 1994.
Rehearing Denied Nov. 17, 1994.
James B. Gibson, Public Defender, and Nancy Ryan, Asst. Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Robin Compton Jones, Asst. Atty. Gen., Daytona Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
THOMPSON, Judge.
Antwain Gamble files this consolidated appeal contesting his convictions and sentencing in two separate criminal cases. In case number 92-5309-CF-A, Gamble was charged and convicted of sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, and possession of cocaine. He was adjudicated guilty on both counts and sentenced to 20 years in the Department of Corrections ("DOC") on count I and 10 years in the DOC on count II. The sentences were to run concurrently. In lower case number 92-5310-CF-A, Gamble was charged and convicted of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver in count I. He was also charged with resisting arrest with violence in count II, but was convicted of the lesser included offense of resisting an officer without violence. Gamble was adjudicated guilty on both counts and sentenced to 20 years in the DOC on count I and time served on count II. This sentence was to run concurrently with the sentence imposed in lower case 92-5309-CF-A. Gamble was also designated an habitual offender. We affirm his conviction and sentence in lower case number 92-5309-CF-A. We also affirm his conviction and sentence on count II in lower case number 92-5310-CF-A. We reverse, however, his conviction and sentence for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver in count I in lower case number 92-5310-CF-A.
Gamble had been arrested on a felony warrant issued for his criminal activities which led to the information filed in 92-5310-CF-A. During his arrest, Gamble struggled with the police and was placed in the rear of a patrol car. Because he struggled, he was not thoroughly searched at the time of his arrest. After he was removed from the back of the patrol car, a baggie containing 40 separate pieces of cocaine was found in the back seat. The cocaine weighed approximately 5.3 grams. Gamble also had over $600 on his person. The money was bundled in five separate stacks of $100. The remaining money was in his pockets.
The arresting officers testified that before they arrested Gamble, they removed and searched the rear seat area of the patrol vehicle. They found no contraband or controlled substance in the rear of the patrol vehicle prior to Gamble's arrest. After Gamble was removed, they found the controlled substance in the rear of the patrol vehicle. The arresting officers never observed Gamble trying to sell or deliver drugs. During the trial, Agent James T. Rocque was accepted over defense objection as an expert in street level drug transactions. He testified that, in his opinion, the amount of drugs found in Gamble's possession was inconsistent with personal use and was, therefore, intended for sale. He conceded on cross-examination that approximately 5.3 grams of cocaine could be within the realm of possibility for personal consumption, but he doubted it. Antwain Gamble was sworn and testified that the money in his possession came from gambling and that he had no knowledge of the cocaine found in the rear seat of the police vehicle. At the close of the defense case, Gamble's attorney asked the trial court to direct a verdict on the charge of possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver. The trial judge denied the motion. We reverse.
The testimony of Agent Rocque exceeded the limitations of expert testimony and invaded the province of the jury. Florida law allows an expert witness to testify if specialized knowledge will assist the jury in understanding the evidence or in determining a fact in issue, provided the testimony can be applied to the evidence at trial. § 90.703, Fla.Stat. (1991). The jury, however, was not aided by Agent Rocque's testimony. He did not assist them with his specialized knowledge in determining what factually occurred, rather his testimony allowed him to act as a judge and instruct the jury to find Gamble guilty as charged. § 90.704, Fla.Stat. (1991).
The state improperly relied on circumstantial evidence to convict Gamble. In order for a defendant to be convicted based on circumstantial evidence, the state's evidence must be sufficient to enable the jury to exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence. State v. Law, 559 So.2d 187, 188 (Fla.1989); Fowler v. State, 492 So.2d 1344, 1347-48 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986), review denied, 503 So.2d 328 (Fla.1987). Gamble was never seen by any officer with the plastic bag containing the cocaine. Cf. Baten v. State, 579 So.2d 764 (Fla. 5th DCA) (expert testimony along with the arresting officer's testimony that Baten was attempting to bury two separate plastic baggies with a total of 26 pieces of rock cocaine was sufficient for conviction), review denied, 589 So.2d 289 (Fla.1991). Other than the amount, there was nothing unusual about the way the rock cocaine was packaged to suggest that it was for sale or delivery and not for personal consumption. Cf. Bruce v. State, 616 So.2d 504 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993) (expert testimony and 13 individually wrapped packages of cocaine were sufficient to support a conviction for possession with intent to sell). Gamble was convicted based upon the testimony of Agent Rocque that the amount was inconsistent with personal consumption. If the state is going to rely upon circumstantial evidence to convict Gamble, then the circumstances relied upon must lead only to the conclusion that Gamble is guilty. If there is another inference or conclusion that supports Gamble's view of the facts, then the case should not be submitted to the jury. Agent Rocque admitted that the cocaine could have possibly been meant for personal consumption. Since the only evidence the state presented to show intent to sell or deliver was the expert testimony of Agent Rocque, we cannot say this error was harmless. State v. DiGuilio, 491 So.2d 1129 (Fla.1986).
We reverse the sentence imposed for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver. We remand with instruction to adjudicate Gamble guilty and to sentence him for possession of a controlled substance. There was sufficient proof to show he had possession of the cocaine. See Greene v. State, 625 So.2d 1293 (Fla. 5th DCA), cause dismissed, 630 So.2d 1099 (Fla.1993).
AFFIRMED in part; REVERSED in part; REMANDED with directions.
PETERSON, J., concurs specially, with opinion.
W. SHARP, J., dissents with opinion.
. § 893.13(1)(e), Fla.Stat. (1991).
. § 893.13(1)(f), Fla.Stat. (1991).
. § 893.13(1)(a), Fla.Stat. (1991).
. § 843.02, Fla.Stat. (1991).
. § 775.084(3), (4), Fla.Stat. (1991).