Opinion ID: 591630
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Timmy Rice

Text: 14 The evidence that Timmy Rice was involved in a drug conspiracy clearly was sufficient to support the jury verdicts against him, but will be reviewed nonetheless because it establishes the existence of a drug conspiracy. Harold Robinson testified that he first went to Timmy Rice's house, 449 Beacon Street, in 1990. Robinson recalled on one occasion seeing plastic bags and rocks of crack cocaine spread out on a table in Timmy Rice's house. Although he could not identify all of the people present, he did recall that Timmy Rice, Ronnie Rice and Jerrell Lamar Meadows were there. Robinson also testified that he once paid Timmy Rice for a drug sale that Robinson had made on behalf of Reggie Rice. 15 Jerry Lee Lewis Smith testified that he and his brother went to Timmy Rice's house on two occasions to buy crack cocaine. On one occasion Smith's brother bought $1,500 worth of crack from Rice. On both occasions, Smith's brother and Rice went around to the back of the house while Smith waited in the front yard, so it was impossible for Smith to see the transaction with his own eyes. However, on at least one occasion, after Smith's brother returned from the back yard with Timmy Rice and Smith and his brother got into their car to leave, Smith asked his brother if he had gotten what they wanted and Smith's brother responded by showing him a bag of cocaine. 16 John Gist testified that he worked for Timmy Rice selling drugs, and that he met and talked with Rice at Rice's house, 449 Beacon Street on at least two occasions. At the first meeting, Gist proposed that he work for Rice as a dealer, and Rice agreed to give Gist a try. Gist did not receive the crack from Rice himself. Instead, Rice arranged for a third party to transfer the crack to Gist. After Gist sold some of the crack, he gave the proceeds to John Stevens, who was then supposed to give the money to Rice. At the second meeting with Rice at 449 Beacon Street, Timmy Rice eventually paid Gist $200 for selling drugs. The payment was made in front of Rice's house. 17 When the police raided Timmy Rice's house on May 3, 1990, they found Rice in his bed. On the bed stand beside the bed there was a loaded 9 mm handgun. When the officer first confronted Rice in the bedroom, Rice reached for the handgun as the officer entered the room. The officer was armed with a shotgun and threatened to kill Rice if he did not reach back from the handgun. Rice complied. 18 The police found no crack cocaine anywhere on the premises; however, they found over $18,000 in cash inside a locked safe in the bedroom. They also found a small amount of marijuana, for which Rice's girlfriend was indicted on state drug possession charges.