Opinion ID: 1652270
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Conspiracy to Traffic in a Controlled Substance Charge.

Text: The jury was instructed that to find Parker guilty of conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance, it must find beyond a reasonable doubt three main elements: (1) Parker entered into an agreement with Warfield and Coffey to traffic in cocaine; and (2) in furtherance of that agreement Parker stole cocaine from Barnes with intent to distribute, transfer, or sell the cocaine; and (3) one or more of the conspirators was armed with a firearm during the conspiracy. Parker argues that he was entitled to a directed verdict because Coffey testified that he did not agree to sell drugs with Warfield and Parker. Coffey did testify that he did not have an agreement with either Parker or Warfield to sell drugs, memorably declaring to Parker's attorney, We never agreed to nothing, sir. But Coffey's testimony was inconsistent because he also stated that he had arranged a drug deal with Taylor. Coffey also testified that Barnes had showed him a block of cocaine Barnes had hidden in his coat. Coffey also testified that he was armed with a gun given to him by Parker and that Parker also was armed during the drug deal. In addition, Coffey testified that it was Parker's idea to rob Barnes and Taylor. Finally, Coffey testified that he unsuccessfully tried to obtain his share of the cocaine from Parker after the killing of Barnes. Based on Coffey's testimony, the Commonwealth introduced sufficient evidence to show that at least one of the conspirators was armed. The question becomes whether the Commonwealth presented enough proof that there was an agreement to traffic in cocaine and that the cocaine was stolen with the intent to distribute, transfer, or sell it. We conclude that the large amount of cocaine Coffey testified to having seen hidden in Barnes' coat [74] permittedbut did not requirethe jury to infer that Parker, Coffey, and Warfield intended to steal the cocaine from Barnes in order to distribute, sell, or otherwise transfer it. [75] Likewise, Coffey's testimony that he tried unsuccessfully to get his share of the cocaine from Parker later that night would permit the inference that Parker stole the cocaine from Barnes, even though Parker allegedly told Coffey that he (Parker) had not taken the cocaine. So drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of the Commonwealth, it was not unreasonable for the jury to have found Parker guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance.