Opinion ID: 1773733
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of evidence of retaining stolen property

Text: This Court agrees with Mr. Langdon that the state failed to present sufficient evidence to permit a reasonable juror to find beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed the offense of retaining stolen property in violation of section 570.080. That statute states in relevant part that [a] person commits the crime of receiving stolen property if for the purpose of depriving the owner of a lawful interest therein, he receives, retains or disposes of property of another knowing that it has been stolen, or believing that it has been stolen. Sec. 570.080 (emphasis added). In resolving this issue, it is important to keep in mind that Mr. Langdon is not charged with theft of the gun, but with retaining a stolen gun. The cases require that, to convict a person under section 570.080 for retaining stolen property, the state must show that: (1) defendant retained the property that was stolen; (2) defendant exercised dominion over the property by retaining it; (3) defendant knew or believed that the property was stolen; and (4) defendant intended to deprive the owner of a lawful interest in the property. Sec. 570.080; State v. Bird, 1 S.W.3d 62, 63-64 (Mo.App. E.D.1999). Accordingly, the verdict director below stated: If you find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt: First, that on or about March 31, 2000, in the County of St. Charles, State of Missouri, the defendant retained a Smith & Wesson Model 915 9mm Semi-Automatic pistol, serial # VCH1210, and Second, that the Smith & Wesson Model 915 9mm Semi-Automatic pistol, serial # VCH1210 was the property of another, and Third, that at the time defendant retained this property, he knew or believed it had been stolen, and Fourth, that defendant retained the property for the purpose of withholding it from the owner permanently, and Fifth, that the property had a value of at least one hundred fifty dollars, then you will find the defendant guilty of receiving stolen property. .... Mr. Langdon did not contest the portions of the verdict director submitting that the 9-mm Smith and Wesson was stolen, that it had a value of over $150, and that it was found in the dresser drawer. He did contest the other issues submitted, however. In particular, he argued that there was insufficient evidence to show that the bedroom or dresser in which the gun was found belonged to him; thus, the state did not prove possession. Further, he argues, the state failed to make a submissible case on elements three and four of the crime, which require proof not only that he possessed the gun, but also that he knew or believed it was stolen and intended to deprive the owner of it.
In determining whether the state met its burden of proof on these issues, it is important to keep in mind that in Missouri, unlike in some other states, mere unexplained possession of recently stolen property does not give rise to an inference that the possessor is guilty of receiving stolen property. State v. Gardner, 741 S.W.2d 1, 9 (Mo. banc 1987). Compare cases discussed in Annotation,  Possession of recently stolen goods by one charged with receiving them as evidence on question of guilty knowledge,  68 A.L.R. 187-93 (1930); Annotation,  What constitutes `recently' stolen property within rule inferring guilt from unexplained possession of such property,  89 A.L.R.3d 1202-42 (1979). This does not mean that such evidence is irrelevant. Rather, while unexplained possession of recently stolen property may not be sufficient in itself to give rise to an inference of guilt, it is a circumstance that the jury is entitled to consider together with the other facts and circumstances in the case. Gardner, 741 S.W.2d at 9. Accord, State v. Lindsey, 868 S.W.2d 114, 117 (Mo.App. W.D.1993). Indeed, because direct evidence that a defendant knew or believed property was stolen is seldom available, the state normally is forced to rely on such circumstantial evidence to prove defendant's criminal intent. See State v. Morgan, 861 S.W.2d 221, 222 (Mo.App. E.D.1993). Prior cases have identified numerous types of other facts and circumstances that, together with unexplained possession of recently stolen property, have been found sufficient to make a submissible case of the scienter requirement for proving receipt or retention of stolen property. State v. Shigemura, 768 S.W.2d 620, 624 (Mo.App. E.D.1989), stated, the giving of false, evasive or contradictory statements by the defendant, such as his denial that the car had been used on the day of the robbery and his statement that no one was in his home, are matters which may be considered in establishing knowledge. Similarly, the courts will consider suspicious conduct and deceptive behavior, evidence that the property was altered, such as by having serial numbers obliterated or filed off, or evidence that it was sold for less than its reasonable value. See e.g., Morgan, 861 S.W.2d at 222 (Mo.App. E.D. 1993) (inadequate price and serial numbers pried off); State v. Applewhite, 682 S.W.2d 185, 187-88 (Mo.App. 1984) (deceptive behavior and false statements); State v. Richardson, 797 S.W.2d 755, 757 (Mo.App. E.D.1990) (receiving goods at a price far below its reasonable market value, ... declarations or conduct inconsistent with a claim of innocence, and false, evasive or contradictory statements about the possession are circumstances from which knowledge or belief can be inferred); State v. Sours, 633 S.W.2d 255, 258-59 (Mo.App. S.D.1982) (suspicious, deceptive behavior); and State v. Taylor, 691 S.W.2d 379, 382 (Mo.App. E.D.1985) (same plus evasive and contradictory statements and similar conduct inconsistent with innocence).
In applying the law regarding retention of stolen property to the instant case, this Court must first determine whether the state has shown that Mr. Langdon was in unexplained possession of recently stolen property, for absent such evidence even the state does not claim that it has made a submissible case. 1. Possession. The state says that it proved that Mr. Langdon possessed the stolen 9-mm handgun by showing that he exercised dominion over the gun in that it was found in a dresser drawer containing men's clothing in the master bedroom. From this, the state argues, the jury could infer that the room belonged to Mr. Langdon and that he possessed what was in it. Mr. Langdon counters that he never admitted that the bedroom in which the gun was found was his or that the dresser was his. Even if he had, he argues the state never proved when the gun was put in the drawer or that he used the drawer in which the gun was found with sufficient frequency to have found the gun after it was placed there. While this Court agrees with defendant that the state's evidence of possession was weak, the Court finds that it was sufficient to allow the jury to infer Mr. Langdon's possession of the gun. The evidence as to the types of clothes and furniture in the bedroom in which the gun was found was sufficient to permit the jury to infer that the room belonged to Mr. Langdon and that the dresser, containing only men's clothing, was his dresser, and so that he at least constructively possessed the gun. The jury could even infer, from the gun's presence in the drawer, that defendant knew it was present, although such an inference is certainly not required where, as here, there is no showing when or how the gun was placed in the drawer or how often Mr. Langdon used that drawer. 2. Unexplained Possession of Property Recently Stolen. It is less clear that the state has proved that Mr. Langdon's possession of the gun was unexplained or that he possessed it while it could be considered recently stolen. Here, unlike in many cases cited by the parties, although it appears no one has been convicted of committing the burglary itself and the record is merely suggestive of Nathan's involvement as the burglar, both the state and the defense suggested to the jury in argument that the actual theft of the gun was committed by a person other than the defendantspecifically, that Mr. Langdon's stepson Nathan stole the gun, acting on a tip provided by his friend Mr. Coleman. Nathan lived in the same house as Mr. Langdon. While nothing explains how the second gun came to be secreted in the dresser drawer in the master bedroom, both the state and defendant argued that it was clear how it came to be in the houseNathan brought it there after stealing it. There could be many innocent explanations for how it came to be in the drawerthat Nathan hid it there, or Nathan gave it to his father as a present, or that Nathan told his father he borrowed it, or even that his father confiscated it in order to return it once he found Nathan had stolen it. It is also possible that Nathan said, here, Dad, I stole this gun for youwhy don't you keep it. But, like the other possibilities just mentioned, to so infer the jury would have had to engage in pure speculation. The record also does not show when the gun came to be placed in the dresser drawer. If it occurred soon after the burglary, and if Mr. Langdon used the drawer with any frequency, he probably knew it was present. If it was only placed in the drawer to hide it from the police, however, or for some other reason was placed there only some time after the burglary, then no such inference can arise. It is to avoid just such confusion that the cases say that the evidence must show unexplained possession of recently stolen property. As C.J.S. notes, [t]he proper test of recency is whether the time lapse between the theft and accused's possession of the property is sufficiently short, given the circumstances of the case, to preclude the possibility of a transfer of the stolen property from the thief to an innocent party. 76 C.J.S. Receiving Stolen Goods, sec. 27 (1994). What may be sufficiently recent will depend on the facts and circumstances of the particular case, including the type of property stolen, how easy it is to sell, and how likely it is to be sold innocently. See, e.g., Sours, 633 S.W.2d at 258-59 (possession of pistol stolen 8 days earlier, later sold for half its value and other suspicious comments sufficient to meet standard); State v. Hedrick, 499 S.W.2d 583 (Mo.App. W.D.1973) (19 hours sufficiently recent); and State v. Denison, 352 Mo. 572, 178 S.W.2d 449, 453 (Mo.1944) (possession of adding machine two months after larceny was not too remote to permit inference where adding machines are not readily marketable and defendant was not in business of possessing them). In circumstances similar to the instant case, State v. Bird, 1 S.W.3d at 64, found that the state had failed to support a finding of unexplained possession of recently stolen property. Mr. Bird was charged with retaining a stolen rifle. The evidence showed that the rifle was stolen on December 10, 1996, and was worth approximately $300. It was found in a sporting goods store 7 months later, August 14, 1997. The store had acquired it from a person who had in turn acquired it from defendant Bird in January or February 1997 in return for work that person had done on defendant's car. There was no evidence that the rifle was not of comparable value to the repair work done, and no attempt had been made to alter or obscure its serial numbers. While defendant was shown to have been in possession of and to have sold the rifle one to two months after it was stolen, he did not testify, and no evidence was offered as to when or how he came into possession of the rifle. Nonetheless, he was convicted of retention of stolen property knowing or believing that it had been stolen. The court of appeals reversed, stating: We conclude that the evidence viewed in light of the verdict is insufficient to support the verdict. There is no evidence to support a finding connecting defendant with the December 10, 1996 burglary during which the rifle was stolen. There is no evidence to support a finding regarding the circumstances in which defendant obtained the rifle. Particularly, there is no evidence to support finding when defendant acquired the rifle. Thus, there is no unexplained possession by defendant of recently stolen property. Id. (emphasis added). Bird further concluded that the state had failed to show that defendant possessed the rifle when it was recently stolen, stating, In the present case there is no evidence to support a finding that defendant acquired the rifle near to the time it was stolen; no evidence to support a finding that anything connected to the rifle would suggest that it was stolen; and, no statement of the defendant which would infer knowledge. Id. at 64-65. The court reversed the conviction for retaining stolen property. Id. Accord, Harris v. State, 239 Ga.App. 723, 521 S.E.2d 864 (1999) (where husband stole gun, evidence was insufficient to convict wife of knowing retention of stolen property found in home two months later). As in Bird , in this case there is no evidence that Mr. Langdon was involved with, or even aware of, the burglary of Mr. Dunnerman's home. No evidence was presented regarding the circumstances in which the gun came into Mr. Langdon's possession or as to when he acquired the gun. The evidence did show how the state and the defendant believed the gun arrived in the houseanother person living there stole it. But, nothing connected that theft to the defendant. Nor did the state present evidence to support a finding that anything about the gun itself would suggest that it was stolenthe serial number was apparently untouched. Finally, Mr. Langdon made no statement that would suggest he knew or believed the gun had been stolen. The evidence does not demonstrate unexplained possession of recently stolen property.
Even had this Court believed that the state made a showing sufficient to show unexplained possession of recently stolen property, such evidence does not in itself permit an inference of retention of stolen property, for the crime also requires a showing of scienter that is, that defendant possessed property knowing or believing it to be stolen. While evidence of possession of recently stolen property is relevant to the scienter requirement, it is not in itself sufficient to meet it. It must be combined with other evidence that, together with the evidence of possession, will permit the jury to infer that defendant knowingly possessed the stolen goods. Here, the state argues it offered such evidence by showing that Mr. Langdon did not have a permit for the gun. It cites no case in which lack of a permit has been found to support an inference of knowledge or belief that property is stolen, however, and we have found none. The type of circumstantial evidence that prior cases have found sufficient includes such things as altering the appearance of the goods, hiding serial numbers, giving false, evasive or contradictory statements, suspicious and deceptive behavior, sale for an inadequate price, and so forth. Possession of a gun without having applied locally for a permit is not on par with the above circumstances permitting an inference of knowing possession of stolen property. Even if it is some evidence, it is not enough, alone or combined with unexplained possession of recently stolen property, to make a submissible case. Here, the evidence is particularly weak, for, as the state concedes, defendant had not applied for a permit to acquire any of his handguns, including those the state does not dispute were lawfully acquired, and he had no permit for the gun found hidden in his garage. He is not charged with stealing any of these guns. Even the victim had not obtained permits for his other two guns that were stolen. The state does not suggest either defendant's or the victim's lack of a permit for their other guns allows an inference that those guns were stolen or that he knowingly possessed stolen property as to them. Lack of a local permit to acquire a gun found in someone's possession simply cannot be held to be, in itself, sufficient other circumstantial evidence supporting the inference that he knew or believed it to be stolen, in the absence of some other basis for inferring, on the particular facts, that defendant had knowledge or belief of its status as stolen and intended to deprive its owners of it.