Opinion ID: 1837108
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: whether the trial court erred in denying lesser-included offense instructions.

Text: ¶ 30. A defendant is entitled to have jury instructions given which present his theory of the case. Smith v. State, 802 So.2d 82, 88 (Miss.2001) (collecting authorities). This principle of law is not boundless, as the court may refuse an instruction which incorrectly states the law, is covered fairly elsewhere in the instructions, or is without foundation in the evidence. Id. Jury instructions should be given only when evidence in the case being tried supports them. Walker v. State, 740 So.2d 873, 888 (Miss.1999). This Court has found that a lesser-included offense instruction is authorized if a rational or reasonable jury could find the defendant not guilty of the principal offense in the indictment, but guilty of the lesser-included offense. Pleasant v. State, 701 So.2d 799, 804 (Miss.1997). White was found guilty of possession of more than one ounce of marijuana with the intent to distribute. He alleges error in that the jury was not given an instruction on the lesser-included offense of simple possession. We find that there is no foundation in the evidence which would mandate such an instruction. ¶ 31. In order to prove possession, the State must prove that White had dominion and control over the marijuana found in his apartment. Jackson v. State, 689 So.2d 760, 767 (Miss.1997); Berry v. State, 652 So.2d 745, 748 (Miss.1995); Campbell v. State, 566 So.2d 475, 477 (Miss.1990). White admitted that he had purchased approximately two ounces of marijuana at his apartment on the night of his arrest and that he shared some with his friends. We find that this conclusively shows dominion and control. Thus, the possession portion of the offense is clearly met. ¶ 32. The more difficult question is whether based upon the evidence presented a reasonable jury could have found White guilty of possession, as opposed to possession with intent to distribute. White's assertion at trial was that he did not intend to distribute the marijuana within his possession, rather he intended only to share a smoke sack with two of his friends. This is similar to the argument recently presented to and dismissed by this Court in Meek v. State, 806 So.2d 236 (Miss.2001). In Meek, the defendant argued that his actions did not constitute a transfer because he did not intend to place the contraband in commerce nor intend to distribute the substance for economic gain. Id. at 239. This Court has equated the general terms transfer and deliver. Evans v. State, 460 So.2d 824, 828 (Miss.1984). In Meek, we noted that distributing includes transactions which are sales as well as transactions which may not be considered sales. Meek, 806 So.2d at 239-40; Rogers v. State, 599 So.2d 930, 934 (Miss.1992). The intent of the delivery and transfer of narcotics statute is to thwart the exchange or transfer of the substance whether accompanied by consideration or not. Id.; Wilkins v. State, 273 So.2d 177 (Miss.1973). ¶ 33. This Court has held that it is not necessary for the transferor to make a profit or that there be consideration for the transaction to constitute a transfer or distribution under the statute. Rogers v. State, 599 So.2d 930 (Miss.1992); Turner v. State, 573 So.2d 1340 (Miss. 1990); Minor v. State, 482 So.2d 1107 (Miss.1986); Boone v. State, 291 So.2d 182, 184 (Miss.1974). Further, as we stated in Meek: A transfer is a change of possession from one person to another. See Commonwealth v. McCue, 338 Pa.Super. 117, 487 A.2d 880, 883 (1985). Also, a transfer is any act by which the holder of an object delivers it to another with the intent of passing whatever rights he has in the latter. See United States v. Nutter, 13 M.J. 803, 803-04 (A.F.C.M.R. 1981)....We find that the only intent necessary is an intent to relinquish possession and control. The intent of the recipient is immaterial. All that is required is that Meek, the transferor, have knowledge of the character and presence of the controlled substance and that he intentionally transfer it to another with the intent to part with possession and control. Meek v. State, 806 So.2d at 240. Here, the evidence put on by White on his own behalf clearly meets the definition of possession with intent to distribute. We find that White was not entitled to a jury instruction on lesser-included offenses; and therefore, the trial judge did not err in denying his request. This issue is similarly without merit.