Opinion ID: 591630
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Henry Rice

Text: 8 The proof of Henry Rice's connection with the conspiracy depends upon his connection to the property at 453 Beacon Street, and upon the use of this property to facilitate the conspiracy. The Government offered no evidence of overt acts by Henry Rice to exercise any actual dominion or control over the house or property at 453 Beacon Street, or that Mr. Rice participated in any drug transaction. The Government proved, however, that Henry Rice is the owner of 453 Beacon Street. There also was testimony identifying 453 Beacon Street as Timmy Rice's mamma and daddy's house, and that 453 Beacon Street was the home of Henry and Peggy Rice, from which the jury could infer that Henry and Peggy Rice lived at 453 Beacon Street during the conspiracy. 9 Several witnesses described drug transactions taking place at least in part on Henry and Peggy Rice's property. An undercover agent, Officer Bartee, testified that he bought crack cocaine from Marshall Lewis Jefferson. After arranging the sale, Jefferson entered the first house on the right on Beacon Street, and returned with crack cocaine to make the sale. A second witness, Harold Robinson, testified that he distributed crack for Ronnie Rice. 1 According to his testimony, Ronnie would get the crack from the backyard or driveway at 453 Beacon Street. 10 There also was testimony that defendants Meadows, McHam and John Stevens were seen at 453 Beacon street every day. On one occasion, a police officer saw John Stevens leave the driveway of 453 and then make what appeared from a distance to be a drug sale. When the police arrested Stevens immediately thereafter, they found a bag containing one rock of crack cocaine in his mouth. Another defendant, Marcus McHam, was seen dealing drugs in front of 453 and, when arrested, was caught with one rock of crack. 11 In October 1987, a member of the Spartanburg Police, Officer Parker, visited Henry and Peggy Rice at 453. According to his testimony, Officer Parker told Mr. and Mrs. Rice that drugs were being sold from the front yard of 453 on a regular basis and that the police had observed drug people running in and out of their residence. Officer Parker warned Mr. and Mrs. Rice that they would be arrested if they let the drug trade continue in and around their house and suggested that they call the police if they had any problem controlling the people on their property. Neither Henry nor Peggy Rice ever contacted Officer Parker thereafter. Peggy Rice denied being warned about drug sales taking place in the yard. Henry Rice did not testify. 12 When the police raided both houses on May 3, 1990, they conducted a search. They found no drugs or paraphernalia inside 453, but did find some crack cocaine under a piece of metal beside the driveway at 453.